Hermione Granger and the Sorcerer's Stone
by MangoCurry
Summary: Come along with Hermione in the tale we all know and love but through her eyes. Want to know all those secrets that we never knew she had, Who she had secret affairs with?, and just why exactly she broke things off with one Ronald Weasely?... Find out all these things in a course of 6-7 books! Main pairing: HarryxHermione Other pairings: Just read to find out.
1. Chapter 1

Summery: Come with Hermione as we read the tale we already know and love, but from her perspective... See all the secrets we never knew she had, and just what exactly happened between her and Ron that made them break up even before their sixth year...

Book 1 Spoilers.

disclaimer: I don not own any characters in this story, they are all rightfully J.K. Rowling's. C:

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 _ **Hermione Ganger and the Sorcerer's Stone.**_

Hello, My names Hermione, and this is how i met the love of my life... but of course, I just didn't know it yet. Get ready for some good laughs, storng emotions, drama, and of course long periods of studying... _Heh_ hold on tight, because this is one hell of a ride...

"... you positive it says 9 3/4?" Papa said as he carefully examined the ticket.

"Yes papa. Look right there, 9 3/4. But where in the world could it be?" I say as I scan around looking for a sign.

"Don't worry darling, I am sure we'll find it eventually..." Mummy said as she placed her hands firmly on my shoulders. I nervously dance on the balls of my feet. i am wearing my best outfit today. well. Not my _best_ best... just my casual in my favorite jeans and my best top. i am wearing my favorite ballerina flats and i have my hair pulled back into a ponytail.

then I spot it... a peculiar boy with what i presume is his grandma. he has a big luggage rack and a toad, but what sets him apart is the old woman... she's whispering things in his ear and is nervously turning something in her pocket. He keeps nodding and also keeps putting his hand in his pocket too.

I rush over there and tap the old woman gently.

"huh, wha- oh hello dear, what can i help you with?" She smiles a kind smile at me, and i smile back as i point to my parents.

"I am with my parents, but we can't seem to find our platform... you see i am going to a new school and well i have never been to it and well i was just-"

the woman chuckles and raises her hand to tell me to stop. "platform 9 and..." she leans down to my ear "3/4?" my eyes widen and i nod my head excitedly.

"I see, muggle family huh? But there is nothing wrong with that. I happen to have a bunch of muggle born friends and well, that's besides the point. Just follow my grandson Neville here, in when ever you are ready." I nod and run off to my parents.

"well. Did you find out where it is?" Papa asks holding out my ticket. I nod feverishly while grinning. "uh-huh, the kind lady told me to follow her grandson whenever i am ready. and i think i should get going now, because i don't want to be late and-"

My mum sniffs and is smiling down at me. "Oh my poppet is all grown up... Well then give us some hugs and you best be on your way dear." she says wiping her eyes.

I get teary-eyed and rush into her arms. "Good bye mummy," She mumbles a goodbye into my hair. I rush over to papa and jump into his arms "Good bye papa..." i say with a sob. He rubs my back and then lets me go. "I love you both..." I say and wipe my eyes. "Love you too darling. now hurry up before i start to bawl."

I rush away with my luggage and ticket in hand.

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Platform 9 3/4 is cleaner than I expected. and busier. I chat with neville as we pull our luggage carts over to the train."Yeah, and gran says that it will be great. She even said the food is great." I nod smiling as i push my stuff into a slot and dust off my hands. "That's good, i wonder if we'll be in the same house..." I say as i wait for him to finish putting his stuff in the slot next to mine. He places his frog in his shirt pocket and turns to me "Yeah, me too what house do you want to be in?" "Defiantly not Slytherin... Not Hufflepuff either, i hear they are a bit dim. So i guess probably Ravenclaw or Gryffindore... You?"

"Same, though i doubt i will get into Raveclaw..." we then hear the loud whistle of the train and are almost trampled by kids who rushed onto it. When we finally are able to reach the train we board as some of the last people. "guess that blasts good seats right out of the water, huh?" Neville jokes and i nod.

his frog then jumps out of his pocket without our knowing and hops away. We find a small compartment in the far end of the train, Change into our robes-i changed first as he waited outside-, I pull my hair out of the ponytail and let it fly everywhere, and it's then that we realize he is missing his toad. "I'll look this way, and you look that way, okay?" I say as i point in the right direction and he nods and heads off in the left.

I then began to enter compartments and ask people if they have seen his toad. When i reach one compartment it has three boys in it who are all hovering over something they look up and i realize that they are twins and probably a friend.

One smiles at me with a charming smile and I blush "Uh sorry to interrupt you all, but have you happened to seen a toad around here perhaps? I'm looking for my friend Neville Longbottom..." I say as i nervously dance on my feet. The one is still smiling at me as he looks into my eyes, The other one though says something. "Well I don't believe i have.. What about you, Fred?" The one-Fred- is still smirking and keeps direct eye contact with me as he replies, "Can't say I have, George." I blush even harder and turn to the other boy, "what about you?" surprisingly enough he nods and says "I did when i went out looking for someone, it hopped down the right corridor..." I smile and thank them all before I take my leave, and yet I can still feel the heat of his stare on me as I walk out and close the door.

I continue down until I reach another compartment, and open it up. "Not sure if it works though..." one redheaded boy says. "Well let's see it then." I say as I lean in the doorway. The two boys look up surprised, and then I realize who the bright-eyed boy with bushy black hair was. The redhead snatched my attention though before i could say anything. "Pardon?" I eternally roll my eyes, "The spell." realization is clear on his face. "Oh uh right.. my brothers told me this one, so I'm not sure if it'll work.." he then chants a spell that obviously isn't real, and it unsurprisingly didn't work. "Well, that's obviously a fake spell that your brothers told you as a joke." the redhead blushes and then looks at me with curiously and annoyance.

"who even are you?" I blush and remember my real cause for being in this compartment. "Hermione Granger, and you are?" "Ron Weasely..." "H-" I interrupt him "Harry potter, yes i got that from the green eyes, glasses and bushy hair. Not to mention the scar. and might just add you look just like your father, and you have your mother's eyes... oh sorry I read all about you during the summer in the history book I got and... they had pictures of you and your family.. Anyways i'm now rambling, sorry, but what i wanted to ask is if you had seen a frog, i am helping my friend out and was just wondering.." the Ron's mouth is open, and Harry is smirking at me with a look of awe and surprise. they both say no, "oh well, you should change soon, we are to meet the castle any moment now, I'm sure of it. oh and may i have one?" i say pointing to a cauldron cake. Harry smiles and nods his head whilst handing me the cake. "Thanks, I know i am probably spoiling my dinner but.. Have a lovely evening and good luck with the sorting." Harry and Ron mumble "you too" and i leave and head back to where Neville is waiting.

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As I hop off the train, and look around, I get that feeling that someone watching me and I turn to see Fred staring at me. He smirks and winks as someone yells for the first years. I blush and look down, but I can't help smiling. I rush over to where Neville is waving and together we run to the man. "Hullo Hagrid," Harry says and i realize he is next to me. I mentally sense his body heat coming off him and i crinkle up my face and move closer to Neville. "HULLO 'ARRY, I TRUS' YOU HAD A NICE TRIP?"he bellows and doesn't wait for a reply "FIRS' YEARS O'ER HERE! FIRS' YEARS!"

Once all of us were in a small pack, we were all separated into boats. once we reached the point where the trees and bushes moved away we got our first glance at the castle. "holy..." "Wow" "that's beautiful." "Bloody Hell.." "Oh Lav! Look!" almost everyone had something to say after they all caught their breath. I whisper to Neville "That's amazing..." He just nods silently with his mouth slightly a gap. soon we reached the bank and we all hopped off "OI, You thar, This your toad?" Hagrid asks Neville as his toad hops onto Hagrid's shoe. Neville nods frantically as he scrambles to catch it. Soon we all are gathered inside and are left alone in the foyer. we look around nervously, when a group of ghosts drift in "Oh first years! Hello.." one says but is interrupted when a big door opensThen an old lady comes in swiftly, shoes away the ghosts and stops to look at us. "Hello, my name is Professor McGonagall, and welcome to Hogwarts. Now you all are to wait in here until i come back. Some friendly advise.. Try to smartin yourselves up as best you can." she says looking at Neville's robe that needed straightening and Ron who i now realized had a spot on his nose.

A few moments later she brings us in and soon kids are being called to have a hat that can sing be placed on their heads and be sorted in their houses. "Granger, Hermione." I am called and rush up and sit down promptly And wait for the hat to be placed on me. "Hullo Mr. Hat." i think, and amazingly it answers. "Hello Miss Granger... hmm you obviously have a true and pure heart and you love to learn. But i am also getting bravery in huge amounts.." Soon i can hear it scream out, "GRYFFINDORE!" I smile and pull off the hat and race down to sit with the table that is clapping and whistling. I spot Fred, who is tilting his head to a spot next to him, and smiling. I run and sit next to him "hullo Fred," I say as I situate myself. "Hello Hermione." He whispers back as he conintues watching the first years.

"Longbottom, Neville." Neville sits down nervously and has the hat placed on his head. "GRYFFINDORE!" I cheer loudly as he smiles and rushes down to sit next to me.

"Good job Neville." I whisper. He smiles and nods. countless other are sorted until it's Ron's turn "GRYFFINDORE!" I eternally groan but he smiles and sits down next to George who pats his back. I then realize that those three are probably brothers. again more kids are sorted until it's just Harry left. "Potter, Harry." Instantly the hall goes into a great hush, and then whispers break out like mad through the entire room. "did she say Potter?" "As in _the Potter_?!""The same Potter who is going to defeat You-Know-Who?" I wait and watch intensly as he has the hat put onto his head... "SLYTHERIN!" (I'm Just pulling you're leg) "GRYFFINDORE!" The whole table erupts in screams whilst Fred and Geroge jump up yelling "WE GOT POTTER! WE GOT POTTER!" I laugh and Harry catches me eye and gives me a small smile, just a glimpse of one, maybe I imagined it because it was gone as fast as it was there. He rushes over to the table and sits down in between Ron and George. Now that I think about it, I get the feeling this is going to be one crazy school year...

I think about that smile as the whole room began to sing the school anthem in no particular key, and I am snatched out of my thoughts when Fred pokes my leg and is looking down at me while singing the school anthem George, to the tune of the funeral waltz... I laugh and cover my mouth to try and hide my smile. He smiles too and winks, that's when the food appeared and we all dug in.

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Hey so I'm gonna have to end this chapter here, see you all later!

And before you ask, because i get asked this all the time, Yes i was raised as a harmony fan, and other great ships... so yup...

Hugs~  
Luna Elenora - insert last name here, because i don't share that much personal info cx -


	2. Chapter 2

Yup, I just couldn't resist posting another chapter so soon... Yay?

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, I REPEAT I do NOT own any of these fantastic and bootyful characters. They all belong-and rightfully so, sense she did think, write, and create them- one very wonderful J.K Rowling.

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That night as I lay in bed, I think to myself just what am I doing with all these guys? I mean I cannot really like Fred, because he is like... WAY too old for me... unless of course we went by the Parks and Rec. theory-Plus I'm eleven, so it's a bit too old for me. And Harry, I won't stand a chance against all the other girls that are likely to be swooning over him. Ron isn't even in the picture... God he's such an idiot, and a jerk, and well I'll just say it... A. Huge. NINCOMPOOP! there I said it. Neville is nice enough, but I just like him as a friend, nothing more... I mean I can fancy someone with out all that... touchy feely kissy kissy stuff (Eww) right?. God most days I feel the need to read a purifying book after like every episode of Parks and Rec (I mean it showed people _kissing_ for heavens sake! Scandalous, am I right?), and right now I feel like i must shower in holy water just thinking about the show and about _fancying_ someone. and with that thought, I drift away into sleep... But that sweet blissful dream about books and parchment, didn't last very long, because around two in the morning, Exploding Snap and laughing could be heard all through the common room. I sigh and get up to use the restroom to pee. When I finish washing my hands I return to my bed, and close the curtains around me like I should have done in the first place...

When I wake up, it's not even dawn yet. I hop out of bed and rush into the bathroom to get ready. I shower quickly and brush my teeth, I then get dressed and mentally prepare myself for whats next. I stare down at the brush, glaring with the most utmost hatred one eleven year-old could possibly muster, "so we meet again." I narrow my eyes so much that I can hardly see and I snatch the brush and in quick swift movements I tear through my bushy hair, I whimper as it gets stuck. finally I'm finished and I walk out and lay down on my stomach looking at my schedule just as the rest of the girls are starting to stir. Once I finish packing my bag I set off while the other girls are all waiting to either use the restroom or to use the showers.

Once I reach the Great Hall, it has practically no one in it so i know i must be early. I butter up a piece of toast and pour some pumpkin juice as I open up a book I borrowed from the library on my way here. Not about twenty minuets later, people start to really come in. "Bloody hell, Hermione, studying already? I mean really... no wait. That's from the library, is it even open at this time, George?" I don't even look up from my book when I feel two hands on my shoulders, and I sense two heads cranning down to look at what I am reading. "No clue, Fred, but why would we? I mean have we ever actually went inside the damned place?" "yeah, we have. remember when we were hiding from Snape?" Fred replies

"That is _Professor_ Snape to you two." someone says and i turn around to see Professor Dumbledore standing behind us and smiling. " And watch your language... Good morning, Miss Granger, you're up early. it is rare to see first years who beat me to breakfast." I can feel myself blush lightly, "Oh well, I am used to waking up early and eating breakfast just after the sun rises..." "Ah, I see that is certainly a way to live... Well, if you'll all excuse me." Dumbledore says as he walks away with a small sway.(hey, that kind of rimed cx)

"Bloody- Do you even sleep?" George asks seemingly not heard what Dumbledore said or that he even left. "Yes, unlike some people who stay up all night playing Exploding Snap. Oh yeas, I heard you. So don't even try to play it off as otherwise." Hermione then stuffs her bookmark in her book and grabs her toast and bag and gets up to leave, sense the room was filling up more and more as time went by. "You're leaving already? But we just got here... Why not at least wait until Ron and Harry get here..." Fred and George say in unison "I hear that Harry thinks you seem nice enough, but Ron says you're a know-it-all." Someone says as they walk by, and as Hermione looks over she soon realize it was Lavender Brown, and she was giggling with Parvarti Patil, who she already became very close with on the train. "Know, that I am only staying so I can chat with Neville before class, not because you two asked me to stay and certainly not to see that dimwitted brother you guys have." Hermione replies as Neville smiles and came over to where Hermione was. "Hey, I waited for you in the common room, but someone told me you had already left, so I just came here." Neville says as he sits down and scoops some eggs onto his plate. "Sorry, I have always been an early riser, tomorrow I'll wait for you in the common room so we don't get confused, okay?" Hermione says as she picks at some bacon just so no one would look at her. "sounds like a plan."

Hermione smiles but that smile was then wiped clean off her face when Ron came to sit with his brothers, but her frown lessens a tad when Harry sat down between her and Ron. He smiles a bit before turning to talk to Ron about various things. "'Kay, Hermione, I'm finished want to head to class now?" Neville says getting up "Yeah..." She replies a bit unfocused at the time being, she drops her bacon piece on the table and turns to leave.

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The Dungeons where the potions class is, is rather cooler than up in the main castle. That enough would've made just about anyone get spooked, even without all the pickled animal parts and eyes in glasses... Neville and Hermione got a table together in the dungeons, they were in the third row, not wanting to be too far up front or too far behind. They were just finishing putting their things on the table when people started to come in. A few moments later, Harry and Ron were sitting in the table directly next to them and they were whispering about something called Quidditch... But all chatter in the room ceased when a man with greasy hair comes sweeping in. Hermione could tell should did not much like the looks of him, but pushed it aside, "You're not to judge a book by it's cover, Hermione. You never have and never will." She thought to herself as Snape began to call off names of the kids who were to be here. "Ah yes, Harry Potter, our new- celebrity." he says softly, so soft that Hermione had to focus hard to even hear him.

One certain Draco Malfoy and his gang of 'friends' all sniggered behind their hands and Hermione scoffed at them before looking back to the front of the classroom... Snape continued to call off names, once finished he looked up at the class. "Holy Moly, his eyes are so dark, it's so intimidating and... kinda sad."Hermione thought after she regained her breath and calmed down her heart.

You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potionmaking," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word - like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

Everyone was silent when "Potter!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Hermione instantly shot her hand in the air and as she glanced over at Harry, he looked so surprised and dumbfounded Hermione almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

"I don't know Sir." Snape smirked and evil smirk "Tut tut- fame clearly isn't everything, now is it, Mr. Potter."

He intentionally ignored Hermione's hand as he went on, "Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter?" Harry was clearly struggling and looked quiet aggravated, but Hermione still had no reason to care, I mean, they weren't even friends and he was an arrogant little celebrity. That's what Hermione kept on telling herself, even if it wasn't all that true. Hermione returned her gaze back to Snape, who was still very much ignoring Hermione's quivering hand.

"What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

At this, Hermione stood up on her chair even, and waved her hand that stretched up toward the dungeon ceiling, "I don't know," said Harry quietly. " But I get the feeling that Hermione does, though, so why not try her?" A few people laughed; Hermione blushed but kept her head high just like she did her hand.

Snape, however, was not pleased, "Sit down," he snapped at Hermione, who reluctantly sat down with a face so full of shock and hurt. "For your information, Potter asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite. Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?"

There was a sudden rummaging for quills and parchment but Hermione, who was near tears, was already writing it down. Over the noise, Snape said, "And a point will be taken from Gryffindor House for your cheek, Potter." There was a loud moan that clearly came from the side of which the Gryffindor house all sat.

Things didn't improve for the Gryffindors as the Potions lesson continued. Snape put them all into pairs and set them to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. He swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticizing almost everyone except Malfoy, whom he seemed to like. He was just telling everyone to look at the perfect way Malfoy had stewed his horned slugs when clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon. And oooh this made Hermione's blood boil just like the cauldron she shared with Neville.

Speaking of which, Neville had somehow managed to melt their cauldron into a twisted blob, and their potion was seeping across the stone floor, burning holes in people's shoes. Within seconds, the whole class was standing on their stools while Neville, who had been drenched in the potion when the cauldron collapsed, moaned in pain as angry red boils sprang up all over his arms and legs.

"Idiot boy!" snarled Snape, clearing the spilled potion away with one wave of his wand. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?" Neville whimpered as boils started to pop up all over his nose. "Take him up to the hospital wing," Snape spat at Pavarti who was sitting with Lavender who were both behind Hermione and Neville at the time.

"You - Granger - why didn't you tell him not to add the quills?" Hermione opened her mouth and tried to speak but what came out was not real sentences "I-I I didn't. I was. And then he must've. I'm sorry.. I didn't. Uh. I-" Snape laughed a wicked laugh "I uh didn't uh I-I.. Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor." Hermione, now very much past her breaking point, shed a single tear, but quickly wiped it away.

This was so unfair that Hermione opened her mouth to argue, but Lavender kicked her from behind their table. "Don't push it," She whispered to Hermione, "I've heard Professor Snape can turn very nasty."

Later that day, during lunch, Hermione went up to visit Neville in the infirmary, they ate lunch together, but Hermione was shooed out by Ms Pomfrey. Hermione decided to go outside and read under a tree rather than sit in the Great Hall. Plus who would notice if she was to cry a bit? It's not like anyone would notice she was missing...

Right?

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Hey so again gonna have to end this part here, sorry.

Sorry that this also took so long to post, I've been busy cleaning..

Hope you guys enjoy this!

Hugs/Kisses~  
Luna


	3. Chapter 3

Hello my beauties, today I am going to post another chapter because for some odd reason, some people actually like this XD (I know, weird right?)

Anyways let's get on with itttt~  
Disclaimer: I sadly, do not own any of the characters used in this story. They all belong to J.K. Rowling...

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As I sit down underneath a big tree, I read a book that I picked up from the library after I return the previous book, having already finished it.

I am half way through it when I realize that I am crying. It's slow, not rapid like a child's tantrum. No it's slow and real, one drop at a time. _Drip...Drip...Drip..._ Why doesn't Professor Snape like me? He also appears to dislike harry too, but more importantly, me. I know, that sounded conceded and immature, but really, what have I ever done to him?

... _Drip... Drip...Drip...Drop Drop Drop Drop DROP..._ I realize I am crying faster this time, so i quickly brush them away and take a deep breathe to help me calm down.

 _In and Out. In and Out. In an-_ "Oh bloody he- Harry I'll be right back, I forgot something, don't go anywhere."I look up just in time to see Ron running back into the castle, and Harry standing there.

He looks back to the tree where I currently am and I quickly look down and cover my face with my book. I close my eyes and pray that he didn't notice me, but- "Hullo, er... Sorry, what was your name again?..." Harry says as he looks down over my book at me, I open on eye and sigh "Looks like he noticed me..." She thinks before replying, "Hermione. The know-it-all." Hermione says with just a hint of sadness. "Hey, I think it's great that you're so studious, and smart. Plus you have wicked hair, so... all the bullies can eat a pickle or something." Hermione laughs and so does harry soon they were in a fit and rolling on the ground, "You really think so, Harry? I mean, about everything... even my hair?" she asks after they calm down a bit "especially you're hair." "Do you not like pickles or something?" She suddenly asks as she furrows her brow. "Nope." They laugh again and this time Harry looks over at her and smiles.

Hermione looks over at him from the corner of her eye and smiles "Thanks, Harry, but you best go before Ron finds out you're-" "HARRY! WHAT'RE YOU DOING OVER THERE?" Ron yells as he comes rushing over "Who're you with- oh. The Know-it-all, huh? Need tutoring in something, Harry? because if that's the case, I can get Percy to help you, you don't need this one." Hermione looks down and Harry opens his mouth "No, I don't need tutoring, is it so ba-" Hermione places her hand on his and shakes her head "Weasely, calm down, I was just walking by when I saw my hero, Potter here, and rushed over. I tripped and fell onto him. I was just leaving when you came out. Sorry to interfere, Potter..."

Hermione got up without realizing that she left her book there and she started to walk away when "See? Told you she was weird and a know-it-all, but I never knew she was a stalker... But it all makes sense now! she's obviously been stalking Fred all this time! Why else would he, or anyone for that matter be even close to her?Bet her mum can't even stand her... God fan girls are terrifying." Hermione starts to walk off a bit faster, so they wouldn't be able to tell she was crying _Drip...Drip...Drip... Drop. Drop. Drop Drop._ She then ran at full speed into the castle.

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"Hey, Neville, do you think you can punch me in the face?" Hermione asked suddenly out of the blue while she was eating lunch with her friend... her only friend.

Neville looked up from his turkey sandwich, obliviously surprised at her odd question; "And just why would I want to do that?" "So I would be in here, and not out there all by myself. I mean you seamlessly got boils all over you the first day, and then two days later, you break all the bones in your body..." Hermione looks over at him "How the bloody brownies do you do it? I mean I would give just about anything to be in a hospital bed, and not out there where people talk behind my back both literally and metaphorically speaking, and in a hospital bed and not out there where they can see me cry. I mean if i broke every bone in my body I would have a reason to cry and no one would question it... You know?" Neville's sandwich had slipped out of his hands, mid bite, as he lay there mouth open and staring at Hermione. "Okay, firstly, You have no Idea how bloody brownie bloody bad this freaking feels! _Growing_ back your bones is not fun, let me tell you. Secondly no one talks about you behind your back. And thirdly, I can't even hit, let alone a girl."

Hermione glares over at neville, "sexist."

"What? how was that-"

"never mind, Neville. I'll go run in front of something and hope they hit me and break some bones... See you later." Hermione looks behind at Neville who is open mouthed and staring at the place where she was just sitting. She shakes her head and shuts the door behind her.

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"Hey, Hermione." Someone says from behind her. She was currently sitting in the common room staring at the fires waiting for everyone in her dorm to go to sleep.

"That you, Neville, they let you out already? that's odd."

"Uh no actually, it's Harry."

Long silence.

"Well I picked this up after you ran away a few days ago and have been meaning to give it back to you but..."  
"What're you doing, Harry?" "... trying to return this book to you..."

"No I mean in general. We aren't friends, the only friend I have is Neville, so why do you act like you care?"

"..."

"I can hear people talking behind my back. As if I can't hear them. Like I can't hear the whispers that travel around the room... Most days I'm fine with it, but like today, for instance, I asked my only friend to punch me in the face, just in hopes of him breaking something so I could stay in there, with him... And not have to endure the excruciating pain of being an outcast." Hermione says as she lets her tears flow freely.

"I. Hermione, listen, I like you, you seem like a nice person. It's just that Ron's my only friend, my first friend, and well. I don't want to lose him over something as silly as a girl..."

she sniffs, "sexist."

"What?"  
"Nothing, I have to go to bed.. they're probably asleep by now, so.. Night harry." Hermione says and she then gets up. tears still on her face, grabs the book from harry, and without another word is gone upstairs to her bed.

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Sorry this chapter was so short, but I kept getting P.M.s to please post another one today, so here it is lovelies...

G'night loves C;

Hugs~

Luna


	4. Chapter 4

Hey my lovelies, so today I got some feed back and I decided to try and make these chapters a lot longer C:

Also, I just got back from the dentist-I had a cavity, scandalous, am I right?!- and am still a bit numb. And also a bip loopy because I am terrified of dentists, so I need the drugs/ Laughing gas. :P

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, though I am currently trying to get a hold of select few *cough cough, Draco, cough cough*, they all belong to J.K Rowling who bestowed them all upon us in a bundle of awesomeness... And you think I am exaggerating. :3

And now with the formalities out of the fucking way, I present to you all...

Chapter 4~

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I wake up and realize that I slept in. As it it's already sunrise, slept in. Oh my gosh, I am so stupid. I face palm myself, and continue mentally scolding myself as i shower in three minuets flat. I quickly brush my hair and pull it back into a ponytail, and rush down stairs, then I rush to the infirmary, and wait for Neville to be discharged.

"Hey you." I say as he walks out looking quite tired. "Hey." I smirk at his grogginess. "You okay? You seem like you had a rough night..."

"Rough night?! _Rough night?!_ are you kidding me? I had to grow back all of my bones in _one_ night!" Neville exclaims as we start to walk towards the great hall.

"Okay I'll add grumpy to the List of Neville." I say not really paying much attention as I make sure the coast is clear of Fred and George. I sigh once I realize they aren't here. "List of- What's the List of Neville?!" He asks only just comprehending what I said. "List of Neville, or L.o.N, it's something I just made up. It's like what you were that day; so today, for example L.o.N would be grumpy, irritated, and showing signs of extreme exasperation..."

"Bloody brownies, Hermione are like... Sherlock or something?" Neville asks he rushes to catch up with me. "Sherlock? Like from the books?" I ask as we sit down at the Gryffindor table. "Well I really meant from the telly but..." "Oh, I don't watch much telly, I like to picture the characters myself, not have someone picture them for me.." I get two pancakes and put some peanut butter and syrup on them, Neville is looking at me like I'm mad. "What? It's just peanut butter.." Neville just shakes his head.

"What're you and the stalking know-it-all talking about?" Ron says as he comes and sits down next to me, which is very surprising while still very annoying.

"Well _Ron_ , it doesn't concern nor involve you in any way," I say as I take a bite out of my breakfast. "and it would appear as if _you're_ the stalker, not me, seeing as you are always following me around, and even sitting next to me." I smirk as I sip my pumpkin juice.

"Well I- just answer the bloody question!" Ron says clearly flabbergasted. "Hermione doesn't watch telly much because she likes to picture the characters herself and not have someone else picture them for her. That's why she likes books so much." Neville explains while eating some bacon.

Ron gives a tiny screech and leans away from me. I roll my eyes and look over at him and give the best glare I can muster. "Oh please Ronald, it's not contagious." then I mutter under my breath "Though if it was it would do you some good." Neville laughs, but quickly covers it up by eating his toast, and harry chokes on his juice. ron's face turns a remarkable shade of red, and I smirk and finish the rest of my drink before getting up. "If you'll excuse me, today is care of magically creatures and I want to meet the professor before transfiguration... Neville." Neville nods and stuffs one more bacon in his pocket before leaving with me.

we both rush down the courtyard and past the lake and right into Hagrid. Literally, We ran straight into him and just about fell over.

" Oh, pardon us, Professor.. uh. Hagrid, right?" I say as I watch a very large man pull bloody meat out from a bucket and throw it to in the forest, where i hear some very disturbing noises. " O, Hullo, Miss Granger, What can i do yer fer?" He says as he dusts off his cloths and wipes his hands on a very dirty piece of cloth. "Well firstly, anything I can do for extra credit? And if so, that would be great, secondly, I just wanted to meet you before class, because I am very excited for this... I'm muggle born, so I've never seen a magical creature at all, let alone up close and personal..." Hagrid chuckled and smiled warmly down at her "O, I can tell I'm gonner like you..." He the chuckles again as he walks off.

"he didn't even notice me..." Neville whimpers and i laugh, soon he laughs, and we are literally rolling on the ground in fits of laughter, why, you might ask was this so funny? Well in reality it wasn't. We both just need something to help relieve stress and well, laughing was our best way of doing that. So we laughed, and laughed, and laughed until our stomachs hurt and we were crying. We laughed so that people could hear us and know that we were still alive and well. so that they would know that they can't take this away from us... and it was great.

Then it all melted and we had to race to make it in time for transfiguration...

But it was great while it lasted.

Then after Transfiguration was History of Magic, and I got quite a few pages of notes out of that class. I smile as think back on it.

Now it was Lunch, so Neville and I ran down to the Great Hall just as other students were gathering there.

Neville had the typical cafeteria lunch that you would get from a school-Some mystery meat, some lettuce with a bunch of ranch on top, fries, and a mini pie to go with it all-whilst I decided to go with something a both lighter and healthy-I grabbed a two stuffed/deviled eggs, a cesar salad with spinach and a cheese sandwich-and we both dug in, seeing we would need it, sense right after lunch and the small break after that, it was flying lessons today... And boy was I ever so excited to get up in the sky and soar like-well you get it.

Once I finished my sandwich, I drained a whole cup of pumpkin juice-even though that stuff is nasty, I hear it's super good for you-and started on my salad all the while chatting with Neville, and Percy, who decided to sit next to me today.

Once I was finished, Neville and I went to play with a flying disk outside, because the weather was lovely out today.

"Go farther Neville!" I yell as the disk soars through the sky and past where he was previously standing, I zone out thinking about how that could be me soaring through the sky in just a little bit, and I am snapped out of it when a flying disk hits me squarer in the nose and I am knocked off my feet. "Oh my gosh! Hermione! I am so sorry! I tried to warn you but you looked kinda out of it... Sorry" Neville says as he comes running over.

I run the bridge of my nose and smile up at Neville. I start to crack up. And he starts to smile, soon we are both laughing. When we calm down, I am laying on the grass next to Neville, who is pointing to clouds that look like things. "And that one looks like an elephant.." He says pointing, I look at where his finger is and see it too, it looks like a elephant with its trunk and ears, there is even a cloud that looks like water coming out of the trunk too.

"Yeah, it does. I used to do this all the time when I was with my grandparents up at their house in Garden valley, Idaho... I think you like them. They are so fun and full of energy. Plus Nana makes the best homemade cookies... And in the winter you can literally build an igloo out of the snow... Just pray you won't get snowed in it. Oh and, every February, they have a big ice sculpture contest and everyone makes gorgeous sculptures... We would have a blast." I say and Neville nods smiling.

"Yeah, we would.."

We heard the bell that meant break was over, and we both got up, brushed off the grass, and we rushed to get to flying class.

Neville had never been on a broomstick in his life, because his grandmother had never let him near one. Privately, I felt she'd had good reason, because Neville managed to have an extraordinary number of accidents even with both feet on the ground. Not to be rude, of course.

I was almost as nervous about flying as Neville was, but I was. This was something you couldn't learn by heart out of a book - not that I hadn't tried. At breakfast on Thursday I tried to them all flying tips I had gotten out of a library book called Quidditch Through the Ages. Neville was hanging on to my every word-poor thing looked so nervous, desperate for anything that might help him hang on to his broomstick later, but everybody else sadly seemed very pleased when my lecture was interrupted by the arrival of the mail. Acting like a bunch of prats they were.

I hadn't had a single letter since Mum and Papa's last box with a few things from home-new shoes, a cute jumper my friends got me, then forgot to give to me, for my going away gift,and a handmade blanket my mum knitted, it smelled so much of home I casted a spell to keep it that way- along with note from my friends that they sent to my parents to send me. This was something that Malfoy had been quick to notice, of course. Malfoy's eagle owl was always bringing him packages of sweets from home, which he opened gloatingly at the Slytherin table. He would even make sure Harry, and I were both looking when he did that too.

A barn owl brought Neville a small package from his grandmother. He opened it excitedly and showed them a glass ball the size of a large marble, which seemed to be full of white smoke.

"It's a Remembrall!" he explained. "Gran knows I forget things - this tells you if there's something you've forgotten to do. Look, you hold it tight like this and if it turns red - oh... " His face fell, because the Remembrall had suddenly glowed scarlet, "... you've forgotten something..."

Neville was trying to remember what he'd forgotten when Draco Malfoy, who was passing the Gryffindor table, snatched the Remembrall out of his hand.

Harry and Ron jumped to their feet. I started to open my mouth to say something, but Professor McGonagall, who could sense trouble from all the way across the school, not to mention who was faster than anyone else, came up to us all.

"What's going on?"

"Malfoy's got my Remembrall, Professor."

Scowling, Malfoy quickly dropped the Remembrall back on the table.

"Just looking," he said, and he sloped away with Crabbe and Goyle behind him.

At three-thirty that afternoon, Hermione, Neville and the other Gryffindors hurried down the front steps onto the grounds for their first flying lesson. It was a clear, breezy day, and the grass rippled under their feet as they marched down the sloping lawns toward a smooth, flat lawn on the opposite side of the grounds to the forbidden forest, whose trees were swaying darkly in the distance.

The Slytherins were already there, and so were twenty broomsticks lying in neat lines on the ground. I had heard Fred and George Weasley complain about the school brooms, saying that some of them started to vibrate if you flew too high, or always flew slightly to the left.

Their teacher, Madam Hooch, arrived. She had short, gray hair, and yellow eyes like a hawk.

"Well, what are you all waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up."

I glanced down at her broom nervously. It was old and some of the twigs stuck out at odd angles.

"Stick out your right hand over your broom," called Madam Hooch at the front, "and say 'Up!'"

"UP" everyone shouted.

Harry's broom jumped into his hand at once, but it was one of the few that did. Mine had simply rolled over on the ground, and Neville's hadn't moved at all. Perhaps brooms, like horses, could tell when you were afraid, thought Harry; there was a quaver in Neville's voice that said only too clearly that he wanted to keep his feet on the ground.

Madam Hooch then showed them how to mount their brooms without sliding off the end, and walked up and down the rows correcting their grips. Hermione and Neville, and Harry and Ron by the looks on their faces, were delighted when she told Malfoy he'd been doing it wrong for years.

"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," said Madam Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle - three - two-"

But Neville, nervous and jumpy and frightened of being left on the ground, pushed off hard before the whistle even had the chance to touch Madam Hooch's lips.

"Come back, boy!" she shouted, but Neville was rising straight up like a cork shot out of a bottle - twelve feet - twenty feet. Harry saw his scared white face look down at the ground falling away, saw him gasp, slip sideways off the broom and -

WHAM - a thud and a nasty crack and Neville lay facedown on the grass in a heap. His broomstick was still rising higher and higher, and started to drift lazily toward the forbidden forest and out of sight.

Madam Hooch was bending over Neville, her face as white as his.

"Broken wrist," Harry heard her mutter. "Come on, boy - it's all right, up you get."

O! and he just grew all his bones back too.. I winced and looked over at him sympathetically.

She turned to the rest of the class.

"None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch.' Come on, dear."

Neville, his face tear-streaked, clutching his wrist, hobbled off with Madam Hooch, who had her arm around him.

No sooner were they out of earshot than Malfoy burst into laughter.

"Did you see his face, the great lump?"

The other Slytherins joined in.

"Shut up, Malfoy," snapped Parvati Patil.

"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?" said Pansy Parkinson, a hard-faced Slytherin girl. "Never thought you'd like fat little crybabies, Parvati."  
"Oh back off Malfoy." Someone said who had an irish accent, and was in Gryffindor..

Malfoy rolled his eyes and then then looked around.

"Look!" said Malfoy, darting forward and snatching something out of the grass. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."

The Remembrall glittered in the sun as he held it up.

"Malfoy,-" I started ready to tell him who's boss. but harry beat me to it.

"Give that here, Malfoy," said Harry quietly. Everyone stopped talking to watch.

Malfoy smiled nastily.

"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find - how about - up a tree?"

"Give it here!" Harry yelled, but Malfoy had leapt onto his broomstick and taken off. He hadn't been lying, he could fly well. Hovering level with the topmost branches of an oak he called, "Come and get it, Potter!"

Harry grabbed his broom.

"No!" I shouted to try and reason with them. "Madam Hooch told us not to move - you'll get us all into trouble."

Harry ignored me like the total idiot he is. He mounted the broom and kicked hard against the ground and up, up he soared; air rushed through his hair, and his robes whipped out behind him - I craned my neck up like the rest of the class, and squinted against the bright sun; Harry pulled his broomstick up a little to take it even higher, and screams and gasps of girls back on the ground cpuld be heard, and there was even an admiring whoop from Ron. "oh please, he could get killed." I said but everyone just shushed me.

I roll my eyes and continue to watch, as Harry turned his broomstick sharply to face Malfoy in midair. Malfoy looked stunned. or he could be totally unimpressed, I can't really tell from down here...

"Give it here," Harry called his voice echoing throughout the whole yard, "or I'll knock you off that broom!"

"Oh, yeah?" said Malfoy, trying to sneer, but looking worried... or maybe not, again, Can't really tell from down here.  
Harry leaned forward and grasped the broom tightly in both hands, and it shot toward Malfoy like a javelin. Malfoy only just got out of the way in time; Harry made a sharp about-face and held the broom steady. A few people below were clapping, and I was too until I realized I was and I instantly stopped because what they were doing was totally against the rules, but at the same time I wanted to clap, because even I was a little impressed,

"No Crabbe and Goyle up here to save your neck, Malfoy," Harry called. his voice still echoing.

The same thought seemed to have struck Malfoy... Or not. Still can't see very well from down here...

"Catch it if you can, then!" he shouted, and he threw the glass ball high into the air and streaked back toward the ground.

Hermione saw, as though in slow motion, something shiny and round-most likely the ball-rise up in the air and then start to fall. ( That rhymes cx) He leaned forward and pointed his broom handle down - next second he was gathering speed in a steep dive, racing the ball - I gasped, and covered my mouth as he stretched out his hand, ready to catch it, his fingers just barley scraping it when- a foot from the ground he caught it, just in time to pull his broom straight, and he toppled gently onto the grass with the Remembrall clutched safely in his fist. This time I couldn't contain my excitement, and I cheered loud and proudly with all the other Gryffindors until-

"HARRY POTTER!"

My heart just about sank faster than he just dived, and I moved out of the way as Professor McGonagall was running toward them. He got to his feet, trembling.

"Never - in all my time at Hogwarts-"

Professor McGonagall was almost speechless with shock, and her glasses flashed furiously, " - how dare you - might have broken your neck-"

"It wasn't his fault, Professor-"

"Be quiet, Miss Patil-"

"But Malfoy-"

"That's enough, Mr. Weasley. Potter, follow me, now."

and with that, Harry was taken away from us all and we were told to go to our next class...

I was by myself in Care of Magical Creatures, but that was alright, because I was even more excited about seeing a real magical creature, than I was about flying. I sat down in the grass and waited for Hagrid to come out and teach us. I was practically dancing on the ground while i sat.

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"Wow, that was great! well apart from it almost eating me and Lavender, but yeah, still great!" I say as I sin around on a column in the Hogwarts' front entryway.

Neville was smiling ear to ear as well, but for a totally different reason, one because he successfully grew back his wrist bone before dinner and secondly because, "Yeah! And while I was growing back my wrist, I overheard some people saying that a Hogsmeade weekend is coming in two months! Isn't that great?" I smile and nod, "Yeah, I can't wait to try my first butterbeer!"

and with that we set off to study and wash up before dinner.

As Neville and I were walking down the hallways on our way to the Great Hall, Neville had to stop to tie his shoe and as I was waiting, I heard something interesting:

"Having a last meal, Potter? When are you getting the train back to the Muggles?"

I peer around a suit of armor and see Ronald, Harry, Malfoy, and his two.. Body guards? Friends? what ever he calls them..

"You're a lot braver now that you're back on the ground and you've got your little friends with you," said Harry coolly. There was of course nothing at all little about Crabbe and Goyle, but as the High Table was full of teachers, neither of them could do more than crack their knuckles and scowl.

"I'd take you on anytime on my own," said Malfoy. "Tonight, if you want. Wizard's duel. Wands only - no contact. What's the matter? Never heard of a wizard's duel before, I suppose?"

"Of course he has," said Ron, "I'm his second, who's yours?"

"Crabbe," he said. "Midnight all right? We'll meet you in the trophy room; that's always unlocked."

When Malfoy had gone, Ron and Harry looked at each other.

"What is a wizard's duel?" said Harry. "And what do you mean, you're my second?"

I shake my head at them and glare death beams, men I swear!

"Well, a second's there to take over if you die," said Ron casually, "But people only die in proper duels, you know, with real wizards. The most you and Malfoy'll be able to do is send sparks at each other. Neither of you knows enough magic to do any real damage. I bet he expected you to refuse, anyway."

"And what if I wave my wand and nothing happens?"

"Throw it away and punch him on the nose," Ron suggested, and then they both ran off to dinner.

I step back, mouth open and very much suprised, I was going to have to make sure they don't really leave the common room tonight...

A few minuets later Neville and I were both sitting down, eating stew and chatting away. Lavender came up and sat down across from us along with Padma, her new"Bestieeeeee-ya" as she says it. "hey, Hermione, thanks for getting that thing off my face before it could eat me.." She says as she pours some soup into her bowl. Lavender has a bunch of red suction marks on her face from where the creature tried to literally suck her face off. I smile "Think nothing of it..." She smiles too and then starts to chat with Padma about what's 'in' this season and where they were going to shop at hogsmeade next month.

"Hey, StalkerMcGranger." George says as he sits down next to us Fred on the other side of his brother. "Really, you can't think of something better?" I say without looking up from my dinner. "Oh my god-Fred, I think we may have a challenge here," George says, and I finally look up and over at them, "Well them, forge, what do you say to this... Challenge?" Fred says with a wild look in his eyes, "I say-" And in complete unison, they say "CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!" Hermione places her hands at her temple and shakes her head.  
"I swear, I feel as if I aged thirty years just by looking at you two, you're so immature." I say mumble as they start discussing what would be a better name.

I finish up my dinner and wait for Neville, but I get the odd feeling someone is watching me, so I turn around and see that some kid with blond hair and cold eyes is glaring-more like boring- into the back of my head. I turn around slowly with my mouth in the shape of an 'O' as in "Ooookkaaay..." and my face a look of "wtf is his deal?"

"Hermione, you okay?" Lavender says as she and Padma stop talking and are both looking at me odd. "Yeah. Yeah I'm just fine, Thanks Lavender..."

"yeah, okay well you should stop making that face, or someone will think you want to do you-know-what to someone in the broom closet..." Padma whispers behind her hand to me. I blush furiously as I instantly snap my mouth shut. She smiles sympathetically at me then goes back to chatting and eating.

Neville finished shortly afterwords and we leave together to the common room.

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"Hey, want to study for the transfiguration test that's next week?" I ask as we plop down on the comfy couch. "Nah, I think I'm going to shower, write a quick letter to Gran, and then go to bed, I'm tired... Didn't get much sleep last night as you know..." He says staring into the fire. "Oh right, you were growing bones last night." "Yup." "And you regrew your wrist bone today again as well." "Yeah." "Well okay, night Neville." I say and watch as he gets up, "You're not going to bed?" "No, I'm going to study for a bit then just read some books I brought with me from home..." I say and give him a small smile, "Okay, night H." "Night."

A few hours later and several E.C assignments, I had studied all I had to study, so decided I would read some books now, to help relieve some of the stress from working so hard. She was the only one still up, so as she rushed upstairs and opened her trunk to grab some books, she made sure to try to be extra quiet.

As I tiptoed back downstairs, I heard some voices and decided that I would be sneaky and make sure they weren't planning on leaving, that's against the rules, sense it is past curfew...

I creep down the stairs and Peer out the saircase that leads to the girls dormitory, and saw Ron and Harry both sneaking out, so I followed them until they reached the door;

"Excuse me." I say a little annoyed,

Ron and Harry both tense up and turn around, "Oh it's you, Granger."

"I couldn't help overearing what you and Malfoy were saying before dinner,-"

"Bet you could," Ron muttered.

"- and you mustn't go wandering around the school at night, think of the points you'll lose Gryffindor if you're caught, and you're bound to be. It's really very selfish of you." I continue, ignoring the comment that Ronald made.

"And it's really none of your business," said Harry. I am slightly taken aback, but then I regain my ground and glare at him. I mean what was I expecting? It's not like we're friends or anything... Not to mention, these are boys we're talking about. They're never reasonable or sense able for that matter.  
"Good-bye," said Ron.

"Now just you wait a moment!. You cannot go out there! It's dangerous plus, you'll most likely get in trouble when you get caught."

"When? _When?!_ " Ron exclaims as he looks at me with wide eyes.

"Ye of little faith." Harry mutters.

"Yes, Ronald, _When_ you get _caught_." I say enunciating the word caught.

"Look, Granger, it's nice to know you care, but Harry has to do this, or he'll be scarred." Ronald says looking sympathetically at Harry.

" He would be more wounded if he stayed here in the cozy, warm, _safe_ common room? More wounded than if he were to run out in the middle of the dark cold night, duel with a Slytherin, and get caught by the grounds keeper, or more likely Professor Dumbledore himself?!" I pant, already fairly exasperated.

"Yes."

"Oh really? How in the bloody blazes? Please do enlighten me, RONALD." I glare at both of them until my eyes are barley even slits.

"His pride."

"... His... Pride?" My eye starts to twitch, it hasn't done that sense the Kindergarden, when Andy decided to place a red, let me repeat _red_ , block on my castle of _blue_ blocks... Let's just say it didn't end very good... for Andy, that is. C;

"Yes, his man pride. His manly man pride. It would be wounded and scarred if you were to stop us from dueling another man... I mean it would be bad enough that he would be stopped, but it would be even worse if it was by a girl." Harry and I are both looking at him like "Wtf."

"You bloody sexist arse!"

"Whoa Hermione, language there are children near." Ron says with mock sincerity.

I smack him on the head with my book, "If you leave, I'll tell your brother, Ronald! I will! Percy is a _prefect_! he would surely put a stop to all this. Or should I get the Head Girl?"  
"what? NO! Leave us alone, Hermione."

my eyes widen and I stare at him, "What now?" he moans.

"You called me by my first name... for the first time.." I say in awe.

He blushes, "It was nothing, now please leave us alone?"

I glare, "No way..." I pause and they took advantage of this to run out the door "Hey!" I rush out after them and when the door shuts I realize the lady from the picture isn't there "guys... What're we gonna do now?"

"No clue about you, but Harry and I have a duel to get to..." And they then slip on an invisibility cloak and I growl. "Oh no you don't," They keep moving even though i can see Ron's butt, so i grab on to that and pull myself underneath, "Fine. I'm coming with you two prats."

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That is it for this chapter, hope you all enjoyed this and have a nice night!

See you guys later~

Luna XxxOoo


	5. Chapter 5

Hello lovelies, how are you all today? Good I hope C;

So welcome back to H.G and the Philosopher/Sorcerer's stone, we are currently on... Chapter five I believe, and I hope you all enjoy this, and please never be afraid to comment or give me advice on writing, or some constructive critisizum, I can handle it! Yeah. YEAH! SO BRING IT OOONN BITCHES! WOO! YEA!

... I am so sorry. That was innapropriate... anyways, moving on.

Disclaimer, I don't own any of the characters used in this, they all belong to J.K. Rowling-Whom may I add, hasn't gotten back to me about those certain characters *Cough cough Draco Malfoy Cough Cough* *cough cough Hermione Granger cough cough* but if and when she does I will get back to you all.

7.7 (Looks left )shh (Looks right )5.5 okay no one is coming, here is what I think we should do...

*Covers mouth with hand as if to hide the fact that I was talking, leans in real close to whisper, aaand* XD HEH! Like I would tell you my secret- slightly- evil plans! You would just be a _snitch_ and tell on me...

Sorry couldn't resist...

oh and _Snitches_ get _Stitches_ , Bitch. _-_ I am watching you.

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"-I am cuming with-" wait, wrong story, wrong _come_...homophones, am I right? Let's try this again, shall we?

...

I can see Ron's butt so I grab hold of that and pull myself under.

"What are you-OI!" Ron dances away and bumps into Harry, who stumbles, but doesn't fall. "That is my Arse, you are getting all freindly with back there. This is sexual harassment, you know."

"I'm coming with you two prats."

"No you are not." Ron says stubbornly as we all shuffle down the long corridor.

"D'you think I'm going to stand out here and wait for Filch to catch me? If he finds all three of us I'll tell him the truth, that I was trying to stop you, and you can both tell him the truth and back me up." I say getting very close to my breaking point.

"You've got some nerve - " said Ron loudly.

"Shut up, both of you!" said Harry sharply. I heard something."

It was a sort of snuffling.

"Mrs. Norris?" breathed Ron, squinting through the dark.

It wasn't Mrs. Norris. It was Neville. He was curled up on the floor, fast asleep, but jerked suddenly awake as they crept nearer.

"Neville!" I whisper and pull the cloak off us and smile nervously.

"Thank goodness you found me! I've been out here for hours, I couldn't remember the new password to get in to bed."

"Keep your voice down, Neville. The password's 'Pig snout' but it won't help you now, the Fat Lady's gone off somewhere." I say as I bend down.

"How's your arm?" said Harry.

"Fine," said Neville, showing them. "Madam Pomfrey mended it in about a minute."

"Good - well, look, Neville, we've got to be somewhere, we'll see you later-" Ron tried to get as far away from Neville, and I glare daggers at him.  
"Don't leave me!" said Neville, scrambling to his feet, and grabbed hold of my forearm, I look over at him, surprised. "I don't want to stay here alone, the Bloody Baron's been past twice already."

Ron looked at his watch and then glared furiously at me and Neville. and I was tempted to stick out my tongue, but I didn't.

"If either of you get us caught, I'll never rest until I've learned that Curse of the Bogies Quirrell told us about, and used it on you."

I opened her mouth, to tell Ron exactly how to use the Curse of the Bogies, but Harry hissed at me to be quiet and beckoned us all forward.

Malfoy and Crabbe weren't there yet. The crystal trophy cases glimmered where the moonlight caught them. Cups, shields, plates, and statues winked silver and gold in the darkness. They edged along the walls, keeping their eyes on the doors at either end of the room. Harry took out his wand in case Malfoy leapt in and started at once. The minutes crept by.

"He's late, maybe he's chickened out," Ron whispered.

Then a noise in the next room made them jump. "Malfoy?" I think, but it wasn't Draco, nope. not even close to Malfoy;

"Sniff around, my sweet, they might be lurking in a corner."

It was Filch speaking to Mrs. Norris. Horror-struck I turn to Harry, who just waved madly at the us three to follow him as quickly as possible; they scurried silently toward the door, away from Filch's voice. Neville's robes had barely whipped round the corner when they heard Filch enter the trophy room.

"They're in here somewhere," they heard him mutter, "probably hiding."

"This way!" Harry mouthed to the others and, petrified, they began to creep down a long gallery full of suits of armor. They could hear Filch getting nearer. Neville suddenly let out a frightened squeak and broke into a run he tripped, still holding on to my forearm, causing me to grab Ron around the waist, who blushed furiously, and then fell into Harry, and the pair of them toppled right into a suit of armor.

The clanging and crashing were enough to wake the whole castle.

"RUN!" Harry yelled, and us four sprinted down the gallery, not looking back to see whether Filch was following - we swung around the doorpost and galloped down one corridor then another, Harry in the lead,who looked like he haven't any idea where they were or where they were going - they ripped through a tapestry and found themselves in a hidden passageway, hurtled along it and came out near their Charms classroom, which they knew was miles from the trophy room.

"I think we've lost him," Harry panted, leaning against the cold wall and wiping his forehead. Neville was bent double, wheezing and spluttering. I pat him on the back with my left while my right was clutching at the stitch on my chest,

"I - told - you," I gas, glaring at Harry and Ron, "I - told - you."

"We've got to get back to Gryffindor tower," said Ron, "quickly as possible."

"Malfoy tricked you," I say to Harry. "You realize that, don't you? He was never going to meet you - Filch knew someone was going to be in the trophy room, Malfoy must have tipped him off."

"Let's go." Harry says not meeting my eye.

I shake my head sighing and help Neville up off the ground.

It wasn't going to be that simple. They hadn't gone more than a dozen paces when a doorknob rattled and something came shooting out of a classroom in front of them.

It was Peeves. He caught sight of them and gave a squeal of delight.

"Shut up, Peeves - please - you'll get us thrown out." Harry says

Peeves cackled.

"Wandering around at midnight, Ickle Firsties? Tut, tut, tut. Naughty, naughty, you'll get caughty."

"Not if you don't give us away, Peeves, please." I try to reason with him.

"Should tell Filch, I should," said Peeves in a saintly voice, but his eyes glittered wickedly. "It's for your own good, you know."

"Get out of the way," snapped Ron, taking a swipe at Peeves this was a big mistake.

"STUDENTS OUT OF BED!" Peeves bellowed, "STUDENTS OUT OF BED DOWN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR!"

Ducking under Peeves, they ran for their lives, right to the end of the corridor where they slammed into a door - and it was locked.

"This is it!" Ron moaned, as they pushed helplessly at the door, "We're done for! This is the end!"

They could hear footsteps, Filch running as fast as he could toward Peeves's shouts.

"Oh, move over," I snarl, and grab Harry's wand, I tap the lock, and whisper, "Alohomora!"

The lock clicked and the door swung open - they piled through it, shut it quickly, and pressed their ears against it, listening.

"Which way did they go, Peeves?" Filch was saying. "Quick, tell me."

"Say 'please.'"

"Don't mess with me, Peeves, now where did they go ?"

"Shan't say nothing if you don't say please," said Peeves in his annoying singsong voice.

"All right - please."

"NOTHING! Ha haaa! Told you I wouldn't say nothing if you didn't say please! Ha ha! Haaaaaa!" And they heard the sound of Peeves whooshing away and Filch cursing in rage.

"He thinks this door is locked," Harry whispered. "I think we'll be okay - get off, Hermione!" For I had been tugging on the sleeve of Harry's bathrobe for the last minute. "What ?"

Harry turned around and took in a big gasp.

They weren't in a room, as he had supposed. They were in a corridor. The forbidden corridor on the third floor. And now they knew why it was forbidden.

They were looking straight into the eyes of a monstrous dog, a dog that filled the whole space between ceiling and floor. It had three heads. Three pairs of rolling, mad eyes; three noses, twitching and quivering in their direction; three drooling mouths, saliva hanging in slippery ropes from yellowish fangs.

It was standing quite still, all six eyes staring at them, and Harry knew that the only reason they weren't already dead was that their sudden appearance had taken it by surprise, but it was quickly getting over that, there was no mistaking what those thunderous growls meant.

Harry groped for the doorknob - between Filch and death, he'd take Filch.

They fell backward - Harry slammed the door shut, and they ran, they almost flew, back down the corridor. Filch must have hurried off to look for them somewhere else, because they didn't see him anywhere, but they hardly cared - all they wanted to do was put as much space as possible between them and that monster. They didn't stop running until they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady on the seventh floor.

"Where on earth have you all been?" she asked, looking at their bathrobes hanging off their shoulders and their flushed, sweaty faces.

"Never mind that - pig snout, pig snout," I panted , and the portrait swung forward. They scrambled into the common room and collapsed, trembling, into armchairs.

It was a while before any of them said anything. Neville, indeed, looked as if he'd never speak again.

"What do they think they're doing, keeping a thing like that locked up in a school?" said Ron finally. "If any dog needs exercise, that one does."

I had finally got both my breath and I had reached my limit with these two stupid prats, . "You don't use your eyes, any of you, do you?" I snapped. "Didn't you see what it was standing on.

"The floor?" Harry suggested. "I wasn't looking at its feet, I was too busy with its heads."

"No, not the floor. It was standing on a trapdoor. It's obviously guarding something."

I get up, glaring at them.

"I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed - or worse, expelled. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed."

Ron stared after me, his mouth open.

"No, we don't mind," he said. "You'd think we dragged her along, wouldn't you.

"I heard that Ronald!" I yell as I go up the stairs of the girls dormitory.

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It was now the next day and it was breakfast, I sat next to Neville-per usual- and Harry next to Ron who were both across from Neville and I.

"It's either really valuable or really dangerous," said Ron.

"Or both," said Harry. .

Neither Neville nor I have the slightest interest in what lay underneath the dog and the trapdoor. All Neville cared about was never going near the dog again.

I was now refusing to speak to Harry and Ron. All they really wanted now was a way of getting back at Malfoy, and I found this all very immature, so I stayed out of it.

As the owls flooded into the Great Hall as usual, everyone's attention was caught at once by a long, thin package carried by six large screech owls. I was just as interested as everyone else to see what was in this large parcel, and was amazed when the owls soared down and dropped it right in front of him, knocking his bacon to the floor. They had hardly fluttered out of the way when another owl dropped a letter on top of the parcel. I glared, getting an idea as to what it was.

Harry had difficulty hiding his glee as he handed the note to Ron to read.

"A Nimbus Two Thousand!" Ron moaned enviously. "I've never even touched one."

They left the hall quickly, and I chased after them, a bit curios as to what they were doing-no doubt they wanting to unwrap the broomstick in private before their first class- but halfway across the entrance hall they found the way upstairs barred by Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy seized the package from Harry and felt it. I peer from behind a column.  
"That's a broomstick," he said, throwing it back to Harry with a mixture of jealousy and spite on his face. "You'll be in for it this time, Potter, first years aren't allowed them."

I smirk because I was right in guessing what was in the package, but i stopped so that no one would think otherwise.

"It's not any old broomstick," Ron said and I lean a bit closer so I could hear better, "it's a Nimbus Two Thousand. What did you say you've got at home, Malfoy, a Comet Two Sixty?" Ron grinned at Harry. "Comets look flashy, but they're not in the same league as the Nimbus."

"What would you know about it, Weasley, you couldn't afford half the handle," Malfoy snapped back. "I suppose you and your brothers have to save up twig by twig."

Before Ron could answer, Professor Flitwick appeared at Malfoy's elbow.

"Not arguing, I hope, boys?" he squeaked.

"Potter's been sent a broomstick, Professor," said Malfoy quickly.

"Yes, yes, that's right," said Professor Flitwick, beaming at Harry. "Professor McGonagall told me all about the special circumstances, Potter. And what model is it?"

"A Nimbus Two Thousand, it is," said Harry, fighting not to laugh at the look of horror on Malfoy's face. "And it's really thanks to Malfoy here that I've got it," he added.

Harry and Ron headed upstairs, smothering their laughter at Malfoy's obvious rage and confusion. I followed closely behind.

"Well, it's true," Harry chortled as they reached the top of the marble staircase, "If he hadn't stolen Neville's Remembrall I wouldn't be on the team..."

"So I suppose you think that's a reward for breaking rules?" I say angrily as I come stomping up the stairs, looking disapprovingly at the package in Harry's hand.

"I thought you weren't speaking to us?" said Harry.

"Yes, don't stop now," said Ron, "it's doing us so much good."

I marched away with her nose in the air...

Then I curled up in my bed, tears in my eyes as I cuddle with the blanket that smells of home...

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On Halloween morning I woke to the delicious smell of baking pumpkin wafting through the corridors. Even better, Professor Flitwick announced in Charms that he thought they were ready to start making objects fly, something they had all been dying to try since they'd seen him make Neville's toad zoom around the classroom. Professor Flitwick put the class into pairs to practice. I tired to catch Neville's eye, but he was paired with Padma, who looked very unhappy about this paring, but I won at the unhappy, my partner is an arrogant prat game. Because I , however, was to be working with Ronald Weasley.. It was hard to tell if he was more mad or if I was-I was deferentially more mad- I hadn't spoken to either of them since the day Harry's broomstick had arrived.

"Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" squeaked Professor Flitwick, perched on top of his pile of books as usual. "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important, too - never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest."

"Wingardium Leviosa!" he shouted, waving his long arms like a windmill. I face palm and roll my eyes.

"You're saying it wrong," I snap. "It's Wing- gar -dium Levi- o -sa, make the 'gar' nice and long."

"You do it, then, if you're so clever," Ron snarled at me.

I glare, roll up the sleeves of her gown, flick my wand, and say "Wingardium Leviosa!"

Their feather rose off the desk and hovered about four feet above their heads.

I look over at Ron, who just glared.

"Oh, well done!" cried Professor Flitwick, clapping. "Everyone see here, Miss Granger's done it!"

I smirk smugly and give him innocent eyes "I told you."  
Ron was in a very bad mood by the end of the class.

"It's no wonder no one can stand her," Ron said obviously not knowing that I was behind him, "she's a nightmare, honestly."

I knocked into Harry as I hurried past him. Harry caught a glimpse of my face - and looked as if he was startled to see that she was in tears.

"I think she heard you."

"So?" said Ron, but he looked a bit uncomfortable. "She must've noticed she's got no friends."

I ran faster and locked myself in the girl's bathroom.

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I heard something, so I blew my nose and pulled my feet up onto the toilet.

"Go away, I already told you all I wan't to be alone."

The troll stopped next to a doorway and peered inside.

"The keys in the lock," Harry muttered. "We could lock it in."

"I'm not an 'It', Harry, I am a woman, and you get out of here, this is the girls bathroom."

"Good idea," said Ron nervously.

"You too Ron? You bloody arse!"

I heard someone slam the door and lock it, very much grumpy and angry, I hop off my toilet and get ready to bang on the door when-

"Yes!"

I see a troll inside and I let out a huge terrified scream.

"Hermione!" they said together.

"YOU TWO PRATS, HELP ME!" I scream as I duck the troll's club,

Harry pulled the door open and they ran inside. I was a bit preocupied with the troll, that I didn't even notice when they came in. I was stepping backwards getting closer and closer against the wall opposite, and I felt like I was about to faint. The troll is advancing on me, knocking sinks off the walls as it came closer.

I shrunk down once I felt the cold wall against my back, and I truned my head to the other side, and closed my eyes.

"Confuse it!" I open my eyes as Harry desperately yelling things to Ron, and, seizing a tap, he threw it as hard as he could against the wall.

The troll stopped a few feet from me. It lumbered around, blinking stupidly, to see what had made the noise. Its mean little eyes saw Harry. It hesitated, then made for him instead, lifting its club as it went.

"Oy, pea-brain!" yelled Ron from the other side of the chamber, and he threw a metal pipe at it. The troll didn't even seem to notice the pipe hitting its shoulder, but it heard the yell and paused again, turning its ugly snout toward Ron instead, giving Harry time to run around it.

"Come on, run, run!" Harry yelled at me, trying to pull me toward the door, but I couldn't move, I was still flat against the wall, my mouth open with terror.

The shouting and the echoes seemed to be driving the troll berserk. It roared again and started toward Ron, who was nearest and had no way to escape.

Harry then did something that was both very brave and very stupid: He took a great running jump and managed to fasten his arms around the troll's neck from behind. The troll couldn't feel Harry hanging there, but even a troll will notice if you stick a long bit of wood up its nose, and Harry's wand had still been in his hand when he'd jumped - it had gone straight up one of the troll's nostrils.

Howling with pain, the troll twisted and flailed its club, with Harry clinging on for dear life; when the troll's club flew and broke off a sink, then while still spinning, the troll knocked the sink mid-fall and it flew right towards me. The sink then hit me sqaure in the head, and I could feel-more like hear-my head crack open.

I scream and the troll stopped momentarily to look at me. I then started to feel a dizzy. Warm blood ran down my head and face and I cry silently as I watch what was happening before my own eyes.

Ron pulled out his own wand - not knowing what he was going to do he heard himself cry the first spell that came into his head: "Wingardium Leviosa!"

The club flew suddenly out of a pile of sink remains, rose high, high up into the air, turned slowly over - and dropped, with a sickening crack, onto its owner's head. The troll swayed on the spot and then fell flat on its face, with a thud that made the whole room tremble.

Harry got to his feet. He was shaking and out of breath. Ron was standing there with his wand still raised, staring at what he had done.

It was Hermione who spoke first.

"Is it - dead?"

"I don't think so," said Harry as he bent down and pulled his wand out of the troll's nose. It was covered in what looked like lumpy gray glue.

"Urgh - troll boogers."He wiphed it on te troll's trousers. "I think it's just been knocked out... you al-BLOODY HELL, HERMIONE! LITERALLY, YOU'RE BLEEDING OUT!"

Ron spinned around on the spot and fainted from the sight of my blood, "What, this? It's nothing, really.." I say as my head starts to throb.

A sudden slamming and loud footsteps made the three of them look up. They hadn't realized what a racket they had been making, but of course, someone downstairs must have heard the crashes and the troll's roars. A moment later, Professor McGonagall had come bursting into the room, closely followed by Snape, with Quirrell bringing up the rear. Quirrell took one look at the troll, let out a faint whimper, and sat quickly down on a toilet, clutching his heart.

Snape bent over the troll. Professor McGonagall was looking at Ron and Harry. Harry had never seen her look so angry. Her lips were white. Hopes of winning fifty points for Gryffindor faded quickly from Harry's mind.

"What on earth were you thinking of?" said Professor McGonagall, with cold fury in her voice. Harry looked at Ron, who was lying on the floor with his wand still in his hand . "You're lucky you weren't killed... Is Mister Weaselly all right? Why aren't you in your dormitory?".

Then a small voice came out of the shadows. _my_ small voice.

"Please, Professor McGonagall - they were looking for me."

"Miss Granger!"

I had managed to get to my feet at last, while Professor McGonagall nearly fainted like Ron had.

"I went looking for the troll because I - I thought I could deal with it on my own - you know, because I've read all about them."

Harry dropped his wand. Hermione Granger, telling a downright lie to a teacher?

"If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead now. Harry stuck his wand up its nose and Ron knocked it out with its own club. They didn't have time to come and fetch anyone. It was about to finish me off when they arrived."

Harry and Ron tried to look as though this story wasn't new to them.

"Well - in that case... " said Professor McGonagall, staring at the three of them, "Miss Granger, you foolish girl, how could you think of tackling a mountain troll on your own?"

I hung my head in shame, plus it was starting to really hurt..

"Miss Granger, five points will be taken from Gryffindor for this," said Professor McGonagall. "I'm very disappointed in you. Harry, Take Miss Granger and Mister weaselly to the sick bay, I'll be right there to help, then you'd better get off to Gryffindor tower. Students are finishing the feast in their houses."

Professor McGonagall turned to the other teachers before carrying me out, next to Harry who was also carrying Ron out. once they dropped Me and Ron off, Professor McGonagall told us we got ten points for Gryffindor.

"We should have gotten more than ten points," Ron grumbled as the professor left saying she expected Harry in the common room in no more fifteen minuets.

"Five, you mean, once she's taken off Hermione's."

"Good of her to get us out of trouble like that," Ron admitted. "Mind you, we did save her."

"She might not have needed saving if we hadn't locked the thing in with her," Harry reminded him.

"I am still here you know, I didn't die. I can hear, and I did just have a sink thrown at me face..."

Then, none of them looking at each other, they all said "Thanks," and then Ron and I fell back into sleep and harry left.

But from that moment on, I became their friend. There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them...

Oh and let's not forget the whole sink smashed into my head thing.

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And that's a wrap! See you all in the next chapter,

Bye lovelies!~  
Luna


	6. Chapter 6

Hey lovelies, so today I decided to write at 1 am because I was so fucking bored, so here we are~

Discliamer: Don't own any of these characters, blah blah blah, belong to J.K Rowling... Blah blah blah,

On with the story!

:D

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So when we left off, I was in the sick bay with Ronald, Now it has been a month and my head is fine. In fact, you can barley see the scar from where my head was opened and all my brains spilled out on the bathroom floor...

I might be over exaggerating. but only a little.

As they entered November, the weather turned very cold. The mountains around the school became icy gray and the lake like chilled steel. Every morning the ground was covered in frost. Hagrid could be seen from the upstairs windows defrosting broomsticks on the Quidditch field, bundled up in a long moleskin overcoat, rabbit fur gloves, and enormous beaverskin boots.

The Quidditch season had begun. On Saturday, Harry would be playing in his first match after weeks of training: Gryffindor versus Slytherin. If Gryffindor won, they would move up into second place in the house championship. I was both extremely worried and excited...

Hardly anyone had seen Harry play-Ron and I like never see him anymore-because Wood had decided that, as their secret weapon, Harry should be kept, well, secret. But the news that he was playing Seeker had leaked out somehow, and Harry just always looks so dang tired everyday... So as a result of that, I generally stay with Neville when Harry's gone, because well. Ron. Ron is Ron, and Ron is a very annoying and patience-trying person. So yeah, I stay with Neville, who the time being is my best friends whilst Harry and Ron are just.. Friends.

I suppose it's was really lucky that Harry now has me as a friend. I really don't know how he'd have gotten through all his homework without me, what with all the last-minute Quidditch practice Wood was making them do-I really don't know how he did it in with Quidditch in the first place- and I had also lent him Quidditch Through the Ages, which he seemed to actually like...

I had become a bit more relaxed about breaking rules since Harry and Ron had saved me from the mountain troll and gave me an excruciating headache, but they did save me and I was trying to be much nicer for it. And the weather report said the weather was supposed to be just awful, and I didn't want harry to freeze, so I went to the library and looked up spells for about an hour.

The day before Harry's first Quidditch match the Ron, Harry, and I-Neville had to stay behind to study for a test... Good man.-were out in the freezing courtyard during break, and I had conjured us up a bright blue fire that could be carried around in a jam jar. We were standing with our to it- me dancing on my feet and rubbing my arms, Ron frowning at the kids who were swimming in the lake, and Harry who was rubbing his hands together-, getting warm, when Snape crossed the yard. I noticed at once that Snape was limping. Harry, Ron, and I moved closer together to block the fire from view; as we were sure it wasn't allowed. Unfortunately, something about our most likely guilty looking faces caught Snape's eye. He limped over. He hadn't seen the fire, but he seemed to be looking for a reason to tell them off anyway.

"What's that you've got there, Potter?"

It was Quidditch Through the Ages. Harry showed him while I watched skeptically.

"Library books are not to be taken outside the school," said Snape. "Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor." My eyes widened. That Jerk!

"He's just made that rule up," Harry said under his breath angrily as Snape limped away. I glared and muttered useless words at his back ("Old greasy arse. Always looking for something to tell us Griffindor's off...") "Wonder what's wrong with his leg?" I say after we all calm down.

"Dunno, but I hope it's really hurting him," said Ron bitterly.

After a while we went back in, and I helped Neville study;

"No, you're saying it wrong. Oh and on this one, you misspelled it too," I say as Neville erases something with his wand, then rewrites it with his quill. "yeah, that's better... And here let's practice the wrist movements." Harry looks over at us and gives Neville a tiny glare, then smiles at me, and returns to playing chess with Ron.

The Gryffindor common room was very noisy that evening. Harry, Ron, Neville, and I sat together next to a window. I was checking Harry and Ron's Charms homework for them. I would never let them copy ("How will you learn?"), but by asking me to read it through, they got the right answers anyway. I am such a pushover, aren't I?!

Harry was restless, you could tell, He wanted Quidditch Through the Ages back, and he practically never let it rest, ("Why should he be afraid of Snape?") he told Ron and I he was going to ask Snape if he could have it.

"Better you than me," we said together-one of the few things we agreed about-but Harry had a wild idea that Snape wouldn't refuse if there were other teachers listening.

"Did you get it?" Ron asked as Harry joined them ten minuets later. "What's the matter?"

In a low whisper, Harry told us what happened.

"You know what this means?" he finished breathlessly. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog at Halloween! That's where he was going when we saw him - he's after whatever it's guarding! And I'd bet my broomstick he let that troll in, to make a diversion!"

My eyes were wide.

"No - he wouldn't," I said. "I know he's not very nice, but he wouldn't try and steal something Dumbledore was keeping safe."

"Honestly, Hermione, you think all teachers are saints or something," snapped Ron. "I'm with Harry. I wouldn't put anything past Snape. But what's he after? What's that dog guarding?"

I went to bed rather upset about what Ron had said...

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The next morning dawned very bright and cold. The Great Hall was full of the delicious smell of fried sausages and the cheerful chatter of everyone looking forward to a good Quidditch match.

"You've got to eat some breakfast."

"I don't want anything."

"Just a bit of toast," I said waving an already buttered piece in front of his face.

"I'm not hungry."

Harry looked terrible, and in an hour's time he'd be walking onto the field.

"Harry, you need your strength," said Seamus Finnigan. "Seekers are always the ones who get clobbered by the other team."

"Thanks, Seamus," said Harry, watching Seamus pile ketchup on his sausages.

I sigh and eat the toast myself as I look over at harry.

By eleven o'clock the whole school seemed to be out in the stands around the Quidditch pitch. Many students had binoculars. The seats might be raised high in the air, but it was still difficult to see what was going on sometimes.

Ron and I joined Neville, Seamus, and Dean on the West Ham fan up in the top row. As a surprise for Harry, we had painted a large banner on one of the sheets Ron's rat ruined-or they say it was the rat-. It said Potter for President, and Dean, who was good at drawing, had done a large Gryffindor lion underneath. Then I had performed a tricky little charm so that the paint flashed different colors.

Harry followed Fred and George out of the locker room and walked onto the field to loud cheers.

Madam Hooch was refereeing. She stood in the middle of the field waiting for the two teams, her broom in her hand.

"Mount your brooms, please."

Harry clambered onto his Nimbus Two Thousand.

Madam Hooch gave a loud blast on her silver whistle.

Fifteen brooms rose up, high, high into the air. They were off.

"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor - what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too-"

"JORDAN!"

"Sorry, Professor."

The Weasley twins' friend, Lee Jordan, was doing the commentary for the match, closely watched by Professor McGonagall.

"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve - back to Johnson and - no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes - Flint flying like an eagle up there - he's going to sc - no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and the Gryffindors take the Quaffle - that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and - OUCH - that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger - Quaffle taken by the Slytherins - that's Adrian Pucey speeding off toward the goal posts, but he's blocked by a second Bludger - sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which - nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes - she's really flying - dodges a speeding Bludger - the goal posts are ahead - come on, now, Angelina - Keeper Bletchley dives - misses - GRYFFINDORS SCORE!"

us Gryffindor's cheered and they filled the cold air, with howls and moans from the Slytherins.

"Budge up there, move along."

"Hagrid!"

Ron and I squeezed together to give Hagrid enough space to join them.

"Bin watchin' from me hut," said Hagrid, patting a large pair of binoculars around his neck, "But it isn't the same as bein' in the crowd. No sign of the Snitch yet, eh?"

"Nope," said Ron. "Harry hasn't had much to do yet."

"Kept outta trouble, though, that's somethin'," said Hagrid, raising his binoculars and peering skyward at the speck that was Harry.

Way up above them, Harry was gliding over the game, squinting about for some sign of the Snitch.

"Slytherin in possession," Lee Jordan was saying, "Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys, and Chaser Bell, and speeds toward the - wait a moment - was that the Snitch?"

A murmur ran through the crowd as Adrian Pucey dropped the Quaffle, too busy looking over his shoulder at the flash of gold that had passed his left ear.

Harry saw it, that much way clear as he dived downward after the streak of gold. And Slytherin Seeker Terence Higgs had seen it, too. Neck and neck they hurtled toward the Snitch - all the Chasers seemed to have forgotten what they were supposed to be doing as they hung in midair to watch.

Harry was faster than Higgs- he put on an extra spurt of speed -

WHAM! A roar of rage echoed from the Gryffindors below - Marcus Flint had blocked Harry on purpose, and Harry's broom spun off course, Harry holding on for dear life.

"Foul!" screamed the Gryffindors. I screamed furious also, and in fact, Ron says I was the loudest~

Madam Hooch spoke angrily to Flint and then ordered a free shot at the goal posts for Gryffindor. But in all the confusion, of course, the Golden Snitch had disappeared from sight again.

Down in the stands, Dean Thomas was yelling, "Send him off, ref! Red card!"

"What are you talking about, Dean?" said Ron.

"Red card!" said Dean furiously. "In soccer you get shown the red card and you're out of the game!"

"Yeah, Papa and I would wake up every morning and watch it... We were both so competitive.."

"But this isn't soccer.." Ron reminded us.

Hagrid, however, was on our side.

"They oughta change the rules. Flint coulda knocked Harry outta the air."

Lee Jordan was finding it difficult not to take sides.

"So - after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating-"

"Jordan!" growled Professor McGonagall.

"I mean, after that open and revolting foul..."

"Jordan, I'm warning you-"

"All right, all right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinner, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor still in possession"

I saw Harry do something odd, and I was about to ask Ron, but then I realized that his broom was completely out of his control. He couldn't turn it. He couldn't direct it at all. It was zigzagging through the air, and every now and then making violent swishing movements that almost unseated him.

Lee was still commentating.

"Slytherin in possession - Flint with the Quaffle - passes Spinnet - passes Bell - hit hard in the face by a Bludger, hope it broke his nose - only joking, Professor - Slytherins score - A no..."

The Slytherins were cheering. No one seemed to have noticed that Harry's broom was behaving strangely. It was carrying him slowly higher, away from the game, jerking and twitching as it went.

"Dunno what Harry thinks he's doing," Hagrid mumbled. He stared through his binoculars. "If I didn' know better, I'd say he'd lost control of his broom... but he can't have..."

"I knew it! I knew I saw him lose control!" I say and Ron looks over at me with a very odd look in his eye, "What? I told you I was competitive..."

Suddenly, people were pointing up at Harry all over the stands. His broom had started to roll over and over, with him only just managing to hold on. Then the whole crowd gasped. Harry's broom had given a wild jerk and Harry swung off it. He was now dangling from it, holding on with only one hand.

"Did something happen to it when Flint blocked him?" Seamus whispered.

"Can't have," Hagrid said, his voice shaking. "Can't nothing interfere with a broomstick except powerful Dark magic - no kid could do that to a Nimbus Two Thousand."

At these words, I seized Hagrid's binoculars, but instead of looking up at Harry, I started looking frantically at the crowd.

"What are you doing?" moaned Ron, gray-faced.

"I knew it," I gasped, "Snape - look."

Ron grabbed the binoculars. Snape was in the middle of the stands opposite them. He had his eyes fixed on Harry and was muttering nonstop under his breath.

"He's doing something - jinxing the broom," I say frantically.

"What should we do?"

"Leave it to me."

Before Ron could say another word, I had disappeared. Ron turned the binoculars back on Harry. His broom was vibrating so hard, it was almost impossible for him to hang on much longer. ( Is it just me, or does that sound vaguely dirty?)

The whole crowd was on its feet, watching, terrified, as the Weasleys flew up to try and pull Harry safely onto one of their brooms, but it was no good - every time they got near him, the broom would jump higher still. They dropped lower and circled beneath him, obviously hoping to catch him if he fell. Marcus Flint seized the Quaffle and scored five times without anyone noticing.

"Come on, Hermione," Ron muttered desperately.

I had fought my way across to the stand where Snape stood, and was now racing along the row behind him; I didn't even stop to say sorry as I knocked Professor Quirrell headfirst into the row in front. Reaching Snape, I crouched down, pulled out my wand, and whispered a few, well-chosen words. Bright blue flames shot from my wand onto the hem of Snape's robes.

It took perhaps thirty seconds for Snape to realize that he was on fire. A sudden yelp told me I had done her job. Scooping the fire off him into a little jar in her pocket, I scrambled back along the row - Snape would never know what had happened.

It was enough. Up in the air, Harry was suddenly able to clamber back on to his broom.

"Neville, you can look!" Ron said. Neville had been sobbing into Hagrid's jacket for the last five minutes.

Harry was speeding toward the ground when the crowd saw him clap his hand to his mouth as though he was about to be sick - he hit the field on all fours - coughed - and something gold fell into his hand.

"I've got the Snitch!" he shouted, waving it above his head, and the game ended in complete confusion.  
"he didn't catch it, he swallowed it."

I say with that "Wtf Harry, Snitches aren't food." Look.

Ron just laughs and Neville stopped crying and looked over at me.

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As we all sat in Hagrid's hut with tea, Ron and I decided to tell them what happened. Neville could have come, but decided to stay with Seamus and Dean who seemed to like him a bit.

"It was Snape," Ron was explaining, "Hermione and I saw him. He was cursing your broomstick, muttering, he wouldn't take his eyes off you."

"Rubbish," said Hagrid, who hadn't heard a word of what had gone on next to him in the stands. "Why would Snape do somethin' like that?"

Harry, Ron, and I looked at one another, wondering what to tell him. Harry decided on his own.

"I found out something about him," he told Hagrid. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog on Halloween. It bit him. We think he was trying to steal whatever it's guarding."

Hagrid dropped the teapot.

"How do you know about Fluffy?" he said.

"Fluffy ?"

"Yeah - he's mine - bought him off a Greek chappie I met in the pub las' year - I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the-"

"Yes?" said Harry eagerly.

"Now, don't ask me anymore," said Hagrid gruffly. "That's top secret, that is."

"But Snape's trying to steal it."

"Rubbish," said Hagrid again. "Snape's a Hogwarts teacher, he'd do nothin' of the sort."

"So why did he just try and kill Harry?" cried me.

The afternoon's events certainly seemed to have changed her mind about Snape.

"I know a jinx when I see one, Hagrid, I've read all about them! You've got to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking at all, I saw him!" I say exasperated,

"I'm tellin' yeh, yer wrong!" said Hagrid hotly. "I don' know why Harry's broom acted like that, but Snape wouldn' try an' kill a student! Now, listen to me, all three of yeh - yer meddlin' in things that don' concern yeh. It's dangerous. You forget that dog, an' you forget what it's guardin', that's between Professor Dumbledore an' Nicolas Flamel-"

"Aha!" said Harry, "so there's someone called Nicolas Flamel involved, is there?"

Hagrid looked furious with himself.

But who could honestly blame him? He just gave something huge away.

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Christmas was coming. One morning in mid-December, Hogwarts woke to find itself covered in several feet of snow. The lake froze solid and the Weasley twins were punished for bewitching several snowballs so that they followed Quirrell around, bouncing off the back of his turban. The few owls that managed to battle their way through the stormy sky to deliver mail had to be nursed back to health by Hagrid before they could fly off again.

No one could wait for the holidays to start. While the Gryffindor common room and the Great Hall had roaring fires, the drafty corridors had become icy and a bitter wind rattled the windows in the classrooms. Worst of all were Professor Snape's classes down in the dungeons, where their breath rose in a mist before them and they kept as close as possible to their hot cauldrons.

"I do feel so sorry," said Draco Malfoy, one Potions class, "for all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home."

He was looking over at Harry as he spoke. I pat his arm and smile, harry doesn't look up but he gave me a grateful smile, Crabbe and Goyle chuckled. Harry, who was measuring out powdered spine of lionfish, ignored them. Malfoy had been even more unpleasant than usual since the Quidditch match. Disgusted that the Slytherins had lost, he had tried to get everyone laughing at how a wide-mouthed tree frog would be replacing Harry as Seeker next. Then he'd realized that nobody found this funny, because they were all so impressed at the way Harry had managed to stay on his bucking broomstick. So Malfoy, jealous and angry, had gone back to taunting Harry about having no proper family. Poor boy-Harry, not Malfoy, Malfoy is a total Jackass(Excuse my language, but's true)-

It was true that Harry wasn't going back to Privet Drive for Christmas. Professor McGonagall had come around the week before, making a list of students who would be staying for the holidays, and Harry had signed up at once... Ron and his brothers were staying, too, because Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were going to Romania to visit Charlie. So I decided to stay as well and have some quality bonding time with my friends, and the Weasley twins as well. Neville sadly was going home to his Gran and other family members, though.

When they left the dungeons at the end of Potions, they found a large fir tree blocking the corridor ahead. Two enormous feet sticking out at the bottom and a loud puffing sound told them that Hagrid was behind it.

"Hi, Hagrid, want any help?" Ron asked, sticking his head through the branches.

"Nah, I'm all right, thanks, Ron."

"Would you mind moving out of the way?" came Malfoy's cold drawl from behind them. "Are you trying to earn some extra money, Weasley? Hoping to be gamekeeper yourself when you leave Hogwarts, I suppose - that hut of Hagrid's must seem like a palace compared to what your family's used to."

I was about to punch the prat myself, but Ron beat me to it as he dived at Malfoy just as Snape came up the stairs.

"WEASLEY!"

Ron let go of the front of Malfoy's robes.

"He was provoked, Professor Snape," said Hagrid, sticking his huge hairy face out from behind the tree. "Malfoy was insultin' his family."

"Be that as it may, fighting is against Hogwarts rules, Hagrid," said Snape silkily. "Five points from Gryffindor, Weasley, and be grateful it isn't more. Move along, all of you."

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle pushed roughly past the tree, scattering needles everywhere and smirking.

"I'll get him," said Ron, grinding his teeth at Malfoy's back, "one of these days, I'll get him-"

I pat his back too, while glaring at the four evil spawns.

"I hate them both," said Harry, "Malfoy and Snape."

I nod agreeing with Harry.

"Come on, cheer up, it's nearly Christmas," said Hagrid. "Tell yeh what, come with me an' see the Great Hall, looks a treat."

So the three of us followed Hagrid and his tree off to the Great Hall, where Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick were busy with the Christmas decorations.

"Ah, Hagrid, the last tree - put it in the far corner, would you?"

The hall looked spectacular. Festoons of holly and mistletoe hung all around the walls, and no less than twelve towering Christmas trees stood around the room, some sparkling with tiny icicles, some glittering with hundreds of candles.

"How many days you got left until yer holidays?" Hagrid asked.

"Just one," I say "And that reminds me - Harry, Ron, we've got half an hour before lunch, we should be in the library."

"Oh yeah, you're right," said Ron, tearing his eyes away from Professor Flitwick, who had golden bubbles blossoming out of his wand and was trailing them over the branches of the new tree.

"The library?" said Hagrid, following them out of the hall. "Just before the holidays? Bit keen, aren't yeh?"

"Oh, we're not working," Harry told him brightly. "Ever since you mentioned Nicolas Flamel we've been trying to find out who he is." I have to try really hard to not laugh and to keep a straight face as Hagrid fell into some suits of armor, he stopped so suddenly.

"You what ?" Hagrid looked shocked. "Listen here - I've told yeh - drop it. It's nothin' to you what that dog's guardin'."

"We just want to know who Nicolas Flamel is, that's all," I said.

"Unless you'd like to tell us and save us the trouble?" Harry added. "We must've been through hundreds of books already and we can't find him anywhere - just give us a hint - I know I've read his name somewhere."

"I'm sayin' nothin', said Hagrid flatly.

"Just have to find out for ourselves, then," said Ron, and they left Hagrid looking disgruntled and hurried off to the library.

They had indeed been searching books for Flamel's name ever since Hagrid had let it slip, because how else were they going to find out what Snape was trying to steal? The trouble was, it was very hard to know where to begin, not knowing what Flamel might have done to get himself into a book. He wasn't in Great Wizards of the Twentieth Century, or Notable Magical Names of Our Time ; he was missing, too, from Important Modern Magical Discoveries, and A Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry. And then, of course, there was the sheer size of the library; tens of thousands of books; thousands of shelves; hundreds of narrow rows.

I took out a list of subjects and titles she had decided to search while Ron strode off down a row of books and started pulling them off the shelves at random. Harry wandered over to the Restricted Section. Unfortunately, you needed a specially signed note from one of the teachers to look in any of the restricted books, and we both knew he'd never get one. These were the books containing powerful Dark Magic never taught at Hogwarts, and only read by older students studying advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"What are you looking for, boy?"

"Nothing," said Harry. And Ron and I leaned past some shelves to get a better look.

Madam Pince the librarian brandished a feather duster at him.

"You'd better get out, then. Go on - out!"

Harry left the library. He, Ron, and I had already agreed we'd better not ask Madam Pince where we could find Flamel. We were sure she'd be able to tell them, but we can't risk Snape hearing what they were up to.

Ron and I waited a while and continued looking but eventually gave up.

Five minutes later, Ron and I joined him, shaking our heads. we went off to lunch.

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Once the holidays had started, Ron,Harry, and I were having too good a time to think much about Flamel. we all had our dormitories to ourselves and the common room was far emptier than usual, so we were able to get the good armchairs by the fire. we all sat by the hour eating anything we could spear on a toasting fork - bread, English muffins, marshmallows - and plotting ways of getting Malfoy expelled, which were fun to talk about even if they wouldn't work.

Ron also started teaching Harry wizard chess. This was exactly like Muggle chess except that the figures were alive, which made it a lot like directing troops in battle. Ron's set was very old and battered. Like everything else he owned, it had once belonged to someone else in his family - in this case, his grandfather. However, old chessmen weren't a drawback at all. Ron knew them so well he never had trouble getting them to do what he wanted.

Harry played with chessmen Seamus Finnigan had lent him, and they didn't trust him at all. He wasn't a very good player yet and they kept shouting different bits of advice at him, which was confusing. "Don't send me there, can't you see his knight? Send him, we can afford to lose him."

I smirk as I continue reading my book as I lay in my back on the couch next to them.

"Hey, you try to make them move!" Harry says as he catches me peeking over at them...

"No thanks, I am just fine over here." I say and roll onto my stomach, snuggling with my pillow.

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On Christmas Eve, I went to bed looking forward to the next day for the food and the fun. When I woke early in the morning, the first thing I saw was a small pile of packages at the foot of my bed.

"Happy Christmas," said Lavender sleepily as I scrambled out of my bed and pulled on my bathrobe and slippers.

"You, too," I say . "Will you look at this? I've got some presents!"

"What did you expect, coal?" said Lavender turning to her own pile, which was a lot bigger than mine.

"No, I just wasn't expecting any because I am Muggle-born." I say.

I picked up the top parcel. It was wrapped in thick brown paper and scrawled across it- _To: Hermione From: Hagrid._ -Inside was a roughly cut wooden flute. Hagrid had obviously whittled it himself. I blew it - it sounded a bit like a wolf. I smiled and hoped he liked to dragon plush I transfigured to move and breathe fire.

my second persent, was a big box from Mummy and Papa-

With it came a note: _To our Hermione, hope you are having a nice time, sorry you couldn't make it home, but Rome is lovely... We picked out some things from there and added it to the box._

 _We love you, Mum and Pa._

 _Oh P.S. Pa says he loves you "Hermy", but he turned your room into a spare dentist room...(He's kidding)._

I smile and open the box, inside is a handmade sculptor of some of Rome's most known sites/buildings.

And then was a few new outfits, one for the last two season's I'll be at Hogwarts this year-Winter, and Spring- I pull out the one for winter and smile.

It's lovely, it looks like an overgrown sweater, that is tan, and it came with a hat,leg warmers,a scarf, and some gloves. "Boy, they really thought this out, huh?" I think as I lay that aside and pull out the one for spring.

It is a yellow dress with a white lace belt, and it comes with a new pair of earrings and a bracelet.

I look again and they sent me a stuffed Narwhal-my favorite animal-that has an ice cream cone as a horn and it looks like it has melted strawberry ice cream on it's head complete with sprinkles.

I Smile and hug it before placing it next to me on the bed.

The last thing was a pair of new boots and some candy from all around the world(Rome, Paris, Tokyo, et cetra) I get tears in my eyes, "This is all too much." I say and Lavender looks up from her pile, "Really? You barely got anything.. Oh well.. Oh! Cute boots." She says smiling before turning back to her pile.

I also got a container and I opened it, inside was some homemade fudge and taffy and cakes from Mrs. Weasley. I hoped she liked the stuff I sent her.

The last two actual packages was from Ron and Harry, The one from Ron was a book-typical-It was a book about all the right ways to study. I screamed a little inside and then moved on to Harry's. Harry's was some fancy golden feather barrettes. I loved them and decided I would wear them with my outfit today.

The last thing was a note, with no name to tell me from who,

 _"You're not safe, you will never be safe, get out now while you still can. If you stick with H.P. You will surely be hurt-_

 _You have been warned._

 _Oh and Happy Christmas."_

I frown but push that aside and shower.

I get dressed in the new outfit my parents gave me, I did add some leggings though. I also put on my new boots and scarf,Then I do my hair in a half up half down, and add the gold feather barrettes harry gave me on both sides.

I say bye to Lavender who exclaimed she was going back to sleep, and hurried downstairs.

Harry and Ron were down there talking, and holding two sweaters,"Happy Christmas guys!" I say and they smile and say "Happy Christmas Hermione."

Before anyone could say or think anything else, Fred and George Weasley bounded in.

"Happy Christmas!"

"Hey, look - Harry's got a Weasley sweater, too!"

Fred and George were wearing blue sweaters, one with a large yellow F on it, the other a G.

"Harry's is better than ours, though," said Fred, holding up Harry's sweater. "She obviously makes more of an effort if you're not family."

"Why aren't you wearing yours, Ron?" George demanded. "Come on, get it on, they're lovely and warm."

"I hate maroon," Ron moaned halfheartedly as he pulled it over his head.

"You haven't got a letter on yours," George observed. "I suppose she thinks you don't forget your name. But we're not stupid - we know we're called Gred and Forge."

I laugh and Fred looks over and Smiles.

"What's all this noise?"

Percy Weasley stuck his head in from the stairs, looking disapproving. He had clearly gotten halfway through unwrapping his presents as he, too, carried a lumpy sweater over his arm, which Fred seized.

"P for prefect! Get it on, Percy, come on, we're all wearing ours, even Harry got one."

"I - don't - want - " said Percy thickly, as the twins forced the sweater over his head, knocking his glasses askew.

"hey wan't to have a snowball fight?" I ask as I walk towards them all, "BLOODY FUCK YEAH!" The twins yell and we all stare at them, "We uh mean, yeah!" they say with less enthusiasm, blushing.

I laugh and we all head out towards the courtyard. Fred and George frog-marched Percy from the room, his arms pinned to his side by his sweater.

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That's a wrap, sorry I alsways post these at odd times, but hey. I write when I'm awake, so just be happy I post these at all C;

Night guys, gonna re-binge- watch Grey's Anatomy from season one tonight. .3.

~Luna


	7. Chapter 7

Welcome back my lovelies! Welcome to the seventh chapter~

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters used in this story, they all belong to J.K. Rowling.

So I have a serious problem... I have finished 3 and a half seasons of Grey's Anatomy in two days.. That's so many freaking hours. cx

Anyways, moving on...

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We all rush outside and pick teams, Harry, Me, Ron, are one team, Percy and the twins are another.

We both make our team's fort and or base, and once that's finished me start WWIII(World War three) No joke. It was freaking bat crap crazy out here.

"FIRE!" I yell and the snowballs I transfigured to chase after the other team all went flying, "HEY NO MAGIC! THAT'S CHEATING!" they cry as they get pelted by snow.

Percy stands there with snow all over his face, and his hand still in the air with a snowball, ready to throw at us. "Bloody hell Hermione..." he mutters.

I laugh and Fred and George both looked over furious, "We'll teach you to outsmart us and then laugh!" They come running over and I let out a small scream before running away, "Come on, Forge, we can take her _down_." Fred says and makes his voice really deep on the word down. I laugh and run faster away, soon I can't see or hear them, and I look back not stopping, but I crash into someone.

"Oh my god, I am so sorry-Harry?" I say blushing furiously as I am laying on top of him, he just smirks, "'Mione, nice to see you too, I was covering this base, when I heard someone rushing over here, and decided to see who it was." I give an awkward smile

"uh right..." He looks at me expectantly, and I furrow my brown. "What?" "You can get off me now, 'Mione." he says and smiles snugly as I blush harder. "Uh right... Sorry." I say and get up off him. I help him up and brush myself off. "You smell nice," he says casually, I look up "Sorry?" "You smell nice. Like lavender." He says looking away, and I smile "Thanks, you smell like teenage boy." I joke and he gently pushes me away, "Kidding... Sorta." I laugh.

Soon we all get hungry, and decide we should go inside.

"And then, Hermione has a war cry and all her transfigured snowballs come flying at us, and of course we took it like men. but in the end, she surrendered herself and decided to go inside with her head healed high, even though she was filled with shame." Fred and George say to their friends while laughing, but I didn't mind, I was looking at Harry, and Harry was me.

I smile and he cracks a small one before turning back to Ron. I start chatting with Lavender, even though I would rather it was Neville or Harry, but it was nice.

We all drank hot cocoa and we eat to our hearts content, but time really does fly, and soon it's curfew.

"Good night everyone, and Happy Christmas." Dumbledore says as us students file out and head to our common rooms.

When we get back, Fred and George and Percy all head upstairs while Ron goes to his dormitory to shower, which means it's just Harry and I for about an hour.

We both plop down on a couch in front of the fire.

"So."

"So..."

"You like the barrettes I got you?"

"Oh. Yeah, I love them. I am even wearing them."

"Really? I can't tell because of your bushy weave." Harry says trying to keep a straight face.

I glare, but I'm smiling, "Prat." I push him gently, but just enough to make him lean slightly. "And for you're information this is no weave," I say pushing up on the ends of my hair,"This is all natural, baby."

he laughs and I snort. He laughs harder I blush "Jerk." I say laughing

"Know it all." he says trying to keep a straight face.

"Insensitive sexist arse."

"Creepy stalking know it all." He says and I laugh

"Really? That's your best comeback?" I say in mock shock

He shakes his head smiling.

"Want to play chess?"

"What like Muggle chess?" I ask, looking into the fire.

"No. Wizarding chess." he says looking over at me, but I continue to stare into the fire.

"I don't know how to play...you know that."

"I could teach you..." he says and I look over, and into his eyes... They look warm and sincere... I can't help but melt. "Okay..." I say all dreamy.

He laughs and pulls me down on the floor, "Stay here, I'll go get Ron's board and the chess pieces." I nod, "Okay, I'll wait here."

"Well welll well, what do we have here?" I look up to see Lavender smirking at me. "Sorry?"

"You've got the hots for Potter." She says and giggles, "Gosh if only Padma was here, she would've loved this..." I smile and she smiles back, "Don't you dare think about getting any sleep tonight, we _so_ have to stay up talking about boys... Specifically Harry... And... someone else." she says before heading up the stairs.

" Wait who- Oh... Okay, see you later." I say as her back disappears behind a turn.

"Ditto."

"Who was that?" Harry says coming over to me

"Lavender, you ready?"

he nods and places the stuff on the ground next to me, "Brown? You're friends with Brown, sense when?" He asks casually-Not so casually-I roll my eyes,

"Oh Harry my sweetie, are you a wittle bit jealous?" I say teasingly but harry blushes, "N-no, why would I be jealous? I mean you aren't into that sorta... I mean if you are that's totally fine with me-but you don't strike me as the kinda person to like girls in that. Uh." I hold up my hand.

"Stop right there, Potter."

"Uh right, sorry... So the rules are simple, all you do is order you're knights to-"

I Smile and nod, but in reality I was melting right there, just looking in his eyes...

Is this what love is like?

Because if it is, I am loving every second of it.

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Pretty soon, I was beating Harry's arse.

"Go.. there." I say pointing at the board

" _Sir, yes, sir._ " The knights already know that I am smart and have good strategic plans, so they have complete faith in me, Harry's on the other hand;

" _No! What did I tell you last time? Her knight is right there, you'll kill me!"_ I smile smugly and Harry glares.

"Okay you know what, tomorrow I'm gonna make you ride on something Hagrid owns." He says

My eyes widen. "No. No you wouldn't.." at first I loved Care of Magical Creatures, but now I know better.. Some of the creatures Hagrid brings are a bit.. Much... Just ask Lavender's face.

"Yup. You and me. Right after lunch."

I roll my eyes, "Fine...It's a date." I smirk as Harry blushes furiously.

"Know it all."

"prat."

We smile at each other before making small talk as we finish up the game... In reality, when we call each other "Know it all" and "Prat", it's like a secret affection we didn't really understand... We were too young... But it was deferentially there. We could feel it. Even if it was faint, it was there, and it was so real.

I beat Harry and we decide to go to bed, and I was expecting Lavender to already be asleep, but no. She was wide awake and had a crazed look in her eye...

"Lavender... Why are you still up? It's one in the morning.." I say as I change into a large shirt to sleep in.

"I told you we were going to talk, and that you wouldn't get any sleep." she says with a... Terrifying smile.

"Fine."

"So tell me, what's up between you and Harry?"

I roll my eyes, but that just got me a pillow to my face, so I push the pillow under my chest and sigh, "I think I fancy him, Lav." I say with a small frown.

She squeals and claps her hands, " _oooh_! I knew it! I told Padma that you two would be perfect together, but she seems to also fancy him a bit, so she just shook her head and glared at you all lunch, but you didn't seem to notice. In fact, you were staring at Harry the whole time."

"when was this?" I ask a bit shocked.

"oh day before Christmas break." She says casually.

"Oh. Oh well I told you, now you tell me something, and we'll take turns."

"Okay, so you know Finnigan?"

"Seamus? Yeah I know him, friends of Harry and Ron's... Why?"  
She just tightens her lips to keep from smiling, "No. No way, Lav! You like seamus?!"

"okay your turn to say something.." she says looking out the window, and even though the room was only illuminated by the moon, I could tell she was blushing.

"I think I fancy Harry, because every time I look into his eyes, I feel warm all over-like I am gonna melt right there-and my legs get all wobbly, and I blush whenever he looks over at me and smiles and... You know... Stuff."  
She squeals and we both start laughing, but then the laughing stops and the crying starts, and we don't even know why we're crying..

"It won't stop. Hermione, it won't stop!" Lavender says through tears, and I just nod, while I cry my eyes off... Seriously, they would run away if they could.

"Let's dance."

"What?"  
"Let's dance, my Papa would make me when I was sad, and it made me feel better." I say and get to my feet, "Come on... I know you wan't to." I say pulling her up off her bed, she smiles as I turn on the radio and I start to dance wildly.

She laughs and I smile, even though I am still crying. I 'reel' her in with my invisible rope, and she sniffs before joining me.

Soon we are both dancing like no one is watching, and we are dancing to release the mysterious pain.

"Happy Christmas Hermione."

"Ditto, Lav." I say and we continue to dance to the music.

We soon crash on the floor with only some blankets we both pulled down from our beds, and our pillows.

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The next day I wake up to Lavender laying next to me, on my pillow, and snoring. I sigh and look at the time.

It's 12:45 in the afternoon I scream internally and hurry to get dressed. I put on some jeans, a shirt, a hat and vest for extra warmth and put on my boots. I check my hair, and was pleasantly surprised that it was at a minimal bushiness today.

I nod approvingly and rush downstairs and out the door, into the hallway, and right into the great hall.

I sit next to Harry and Ron, and grab a veggie sub. "So sorry I am so late today."

Harry looked tired, but smiled anyways.

"yeah, where were you?" Ron asks as he takes a big bite out of his burger.

I roll my eyes in disgust, "Sleeping, I was up late last night with Lav, and I overslept."

"Brown?" Ron asks with his mouth full,

"Yes, Ronald, Lavender Brown. And don't talk with your mouthful, it's disgusting." I say as he swallows while glaring at me.

I eat my sub as Harry waits for me to finish, and when I do, we make our way down to Hagrid's hut... "Hey, Harry, why were you so tired at lunch?"

Harry looks out over the lake, but eventually answers "I was out late last night looking in a mirror.." I crack up and start to laugh, and harry joins in, "Coincided much?!" "I guess you could say that..." I smile as we reach the hut and Harry knocks and Hagrid instantly opens it after calming down Fang.

"Ready?" Harry asks and Hagrid nods beaming at us.

we follow him out and I find myself face to face with a unicorn. I just about faint.

"They don't let firs' years see them... But I thought. Yer know, maybe yer would like 'o ride on 'er with 'arry fer a bit." Hagrid says looking bashful I place my hand on his and pat it. "Hagrid, this is perfect, thank you."

He nods and helps Harry up, then me. I wrap my arms around harry's waist and shut my eyes-tight. "She'll take yer two into the forest, but she will also pertect yer from danger. She is a friend, and knows what to do..." he says nervously and I nod.

"see you soon, Hagrid." Harry says and we're off.

We were going so fast, and Harry was laughing and I was laughing and we were having so much fun... But then it got dark, and the moon was only source of light, and I was getting cold, and scared and it was bound to be dinner now, and I was scared and shaking. But Harry wasn't, Harry turned around on the unicorn and we played rock, paper, scissors, as the unicorn took a break and was drinking from a pool of water.

"Is this even aloud?" I say gesturing all around us, "Probably not." Harry says and he cracks a smile, and I almost melt right there again. I warm up instantly and forget about the rest of the world. "I like you, Harry." "I like you too, Hermione." "I _like_ like you..." "we like each other, okay? We just established that.. I mean we have to like each other, otherwise we wouldn't be able to be friends, Right? yeah... Do you understand, or do I have to spell it out?" He says and I glare even though I was smiling "Prat." "Know it all" "Sexist" "Stalker" "Dreamy eyes" "Stalking know it all" "Nice hair..." "Creepy stalking know it all." Harry didn't see to notice that I was saying nice things about him, and I was grateful.

"Insensitive-sexist-Quidditch-playing-cute-dimples-annoying-idiotic-prat." I say and he stares open mouthed. "You have nice eyes... Kind eyes, and I like the way you can get lost in them, like a sea of chocolaty-brown warmth..." He says looking dreamily at me and I blush, "Uh Harry?"

"Hmm?"

"Paper beats rock, I win." I decided to not bring it up, I'm sure he must have thought he had only thought that, and not said it out loud.

"Dang it."

"Harry, I'm cold, can we go back now?" I ask

"Yeah, I'm also kinda hungry."

"yeah, really hungry.." I say absently as I think about all the food.

"K, can you please take us back now?" Harry says leaning down by the unicorn's ear, after he turned back around.

We start to head back in the direction we came from.

"Harry?"

"Hmm?"

"Thanks for this..." I say as I press my cheek against his shoulder.

"No problem, 'Mione."

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"G'night Harry, Ronald, Fred, George, Percy, anyone else..." I say and head up to got to bed, I brush my hair and pull it into a bun, and then change into some shorts and a nightshirt, and hop in bed, I cuddle up with NomWhal-my vanilla bean ice cream narwhal plush- before drifting off to sleep, then I FREAKING WAKE UP. I heard a door open and close, even though it was in reality quiet-It echoed all around the common room and dormitories. I sigh and moan... well more half cry half moan before getting up.

I sneak downstairs in hopes of just being able to sit by the fires, when I see Harry sneaking out with something shiny.

"Oh my gosh, Harry?! You freaking. Never fails. Never bloody fails."

He stops and swirls on one foot smiling uncertainly. "Heeeey Hermione... What're you doing up?"

"You. You made me get up. Learn how to do a silencing charm on doors or something."  
"learn how to close you sound-canceling-curtains." Hey says snappishly.

I glare, "Where ever you're going, I'm going with you."

"What in-in those clothes?" He says gesturing to my pajamas.

I cross my arms and stare him down, "What's wrong with these clothes, Harry?" Harry gets all awkward as he avoids my eyes, "N-nothing, 'Mione.."

"that's what I thought, now lead the way." I say as I walk over to him.

we crept across the common room, and climbed through the portrait hole.  
"Who's there?" squawked the Fat Lady. Harry and I absolutely said nothing. we walked quickly down the corridor.

Where should they go? Harry stopped and I stopped behind him, my heart racing. And then it came to both me and Harry, The Restricted Section in the library. we'd be able to read as long as we liked, as long as it took to find out who Flamel was. Harry and I set off, he pulled the silver thing around us tightly, and I realized it was the invisibility cloak we had tight around us as we walked.

The library was pitch-black and very eerie. I lit a lamp to see ourvway along the rows of books. The lamp looked as if it was floating along in midair, and even though I could feel my arm supporting it, the sight gave me the creeps.

The Restricted Section was right at the back of the library. Stepping carefully over the rope that separated these books from the rest of the library, I held up my lamp to read the titles.

They didn't tell us much. Their peeling, faded gold letters spelled words in languages Harry and I couldn't understand. Some had no title at all. One book had a dark stain on it that looked horribly like blood. The hairs on the back of my neck prickled. Maybe I was imagining it, maybe not, but I thought a faint whispering was coming from the books, as though they knew someone was there who shouldn't be... As if they knew we were up to no good;

we had to start somewhere. Setting the lamp down carefully on the floor, I looked along the bottom shelf for an interesting looking book. Harry did the same, but he found A large black and silver volume that obviously caught his eye. He pulled it out with difficulty, "Harry I really don't think you should-" balancing it on his knee, let it fall open.

A piercing, bloodcurdling shriek split the silence - the book was screaming! "Open it..." I finish sighing, Harry snapped it shut, but the shriek went on and on, one high, unbroken, earsplitting note. He stumbled backward and knocked over my lamp, which went out at once. Panicking, he heard footsteps coming down the corridor outside - stuffing the shrieking book back on the shelf, we ran for it. He passed Filch in the doorway; Filch's pale, wild eyes looked straight through us, and Harry and I slipped under Filch's outstretched arm and streaked off up the corridor, the book's shrieks still ringing in my ears.

Harry came to a sudden halt in front of a tall suit of armor. we had been so busy getting away from the library, he must not have paid attention to where he was going. Perhaps because it was dark, but I-and I have a feeling Harry also- didn't recognize where we was at all. There was a suit of armor near the kitchens, I knew, but we must be five floors above there.

"You asked me to come directly to you, Professor, if anyone was wandering around at night, and somebody's been in the library Restricted Section."

I could felt the blood drain out of his face. Wherever we was, Filch must know a shortcut, because his soft, greasy voice was getting nearer, and to his horror, it was Snape who replied, "The Restricted Section? Well, they can't be far, we'll catch them."

Harry and I stood rooted to the spot as Filch and Snape came around the corner ahead. They couldn't see us, of course, but it was a narrow corridor and if they came much nearer they'd knock right into us - the cloak didn't stop Harry and I from being solid.

Harry backed away as quietly as he could and I followed his lead.. A door stood ajar to my left. It was our only hope. Harry squeezed through it, then me, holding my breath, trying not to move it, and to my relief we managed to get inside the room without their noticing anything. They walked straight past, and Harry leaned against the wall, breathing deeply, I crouched down, listening to their footsteps dying away. That had been close, very close. It was a few seconds before I noticed anything about the room we had hidden in.

It looked like an unused classroom. The dark shapes of desks and chairs were piled against the walls, and there was an upturned wastepaper basket - but propped against the wall facing me was something that didn't look as if it belonged there, something that looked as if someone had just put it there to keep it out of the way.

It was a magnificent mirror, as high as the ceiling, with an ornate gold frame, standing on two clawed feet. There was an inscription carved around the top: _Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi._ my panic fading now that there was no sound of Filch and Snape, Harry moved nearer to the mirror, and was finally right infront of it, then he gestured for me to come, and He stepped away so I could look in it, and so I did. I stepped in front of it.

Ｉ had to clap his hands to his mouth to stop himself from screaming. Ｉ whirled around. ｍｙ heart was pounding far more furiously than when the book had screamed - for he had seen not only ｍｙｓｅｌｆ in the mirror, but a whole crowd of people standing right next to me so and I had to look down at my hands to make sure I wasn't holding anything.

But the room was empty. Breathing very fast, I turned slowly back to the mirror.

There I was, reflected in it, white and frightened, and there, reflected , were at four other people besides myself. I looked over my shoulder - but still, no one was there. Or were they all invisible, too? Was I in fact in a room full of invisible people and this mirror's trick was that it reflected them, invisible or not?

I looked in the mirror again. A man was indeed, standing right next to my reflection was smiling at me and waving. I reached out a hand and felt the air besides me If he was really there, I'd touch him, their reflections were so close together, but I felt only air - him and the others existed only in the mirror.

He was a handsome man. he had dark hair and his eyes - her eyes are just like Harry's I thought, edging a little closer to the glass. Bright green - exactly the same shape, but then he noticed that he was crying; smiling, but crying at the same time. this man-the tall, thin, black-haired man standing next to me put his arm around me. He wore glasses, and his hair was very untidy. It stuck up at the back, just as Harry's did... Just like Harry...This was harry. This _is_ harry. I look at the woman besides him, and realized, I was that woman. I was slightly older, but when I looked down, I saw a baby. I was holding a baby. My baby... Harry's baby...Our baby, and a little girl-no more than five years old- was smiling and holding my hand, who had her hair in curls-she had my brown hair... But she had Harry's green eyes-and was snuggling with NomWhal, who was looking very battered and abused, but in a good battered and abused way. Like it was loved too hard. And on Harry's shoulder's was another little girl, around three who looked overjoyed and was laughing. She had harry's black hair and my eyes. she was holding onto a toy wand and waving it around. and the baby was a boy, his eyes were closed but he had some fuzz on his head. he had a snitch in his hand, and was absently chewing on it with his little front teeth.

I cover my mouth and sob, "is this my future? Will this really happen?" I think as I calm down and let Harry look in the mirror.

Harry was so close to the mirror now that his nose was nearly touching the mirror.

"Mom?" he whispered. "Dad?

I look up in shock but, I let him stay there awhile, just looking into it as I think, "Is it different for everyone? Did he not see what I saw?" I finish that thought and look up to see that Harry hasn't moved an inch/"Harry? I think we should go, it's getting late.." I say and he tears his eyes away from the mirror and over at me. I smile and sniff, "I'll come back," he whispers and hurried from the room with me holding his hand.

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"You could have woken me up," said Ron, crossly the next morning at breakfast.

"You can come tonight, I'm going back, I want to show you the mirror." Harry says and I look up before sighing.

"I'd like to see your mom and dad," Ron said eagerly.

"And I want to see all your family, all the Weasleys, you'll be able to show me your other brothers and everyone."

"You can see them any old time," said Ron. "Just come round my house this summer. Anyway, maybe it only shows dead people. Shame about not finding Flamel, though. Have some bacon or something, why aren't you eating anything?"

I couldn't eat. I had seen my possible future with Harry and would be seeing it again tonight. I had almost forgotten about Flamel-almost-It didn't seem very important anymore. Who cared what the three headed dog was guarding? What did it matter if Snape stole it, really? Yes. Yes it does, Hermione...

"Are you all right?" said Ron. "You look odd."

I look up shocked, he actually wanted to know how I was... Weird, "Huh? Fine, just a bit distracted.."

Today was the last day of Christmas break, tomorrow everyone would be back, and the dormitories would be full again..

I sat in the common room, laying down on the couch, staring up at the ceiling for who knows how long, it was like I was in slow motion, and everyone else was in ultra speed.

With Ron covered in the cloak with Harry and I-I was in the middle, feeling very awkward and very much violated with Ron's hand on my hips, and his breath on my neck... He did have warm hands though, huh..- we had to walk much more slowly the next night. we had tried retracing Harry and I's route from the library, wandering around the dark passageways for nearly an hour; but to no avail.

"I'm freezing," said Ron. "Let's forget it and go back."

"No!" Harry hissed. "I know it's here somewhere."

we passed the ghost of a tall witch gliding in the opposite direction, but saw no one else. just as Ron started moaning that his feet were dead with cold, I pointed to the armor I spotted and Harry gave a small cheer.

"It's here - just here - yes! Thanks, Hermione!"

They pushed the door open. Harry dropped the cloak from around his shoulders and ran to the mirror.

"See?" Harry whispered.

"I can't see anything."

"Look! Look at them all... there are loads of them..."

"I can only see you."

"Look in it properly, go on, stand where I am."

Harry stepped aside, but with Ron in front of the mirror, and I stood aside, arms and legs crossed, looking sadly at them both.

Ron, was staring transfixed at his image.

"Look at me!" he said.

"Can you see all your family standing around you?"

"No - I'm alone - but I'm different - I look older - and I'm head boy!"

"What?"

"I am - I'm wearing the badge like Bill used to - and I'm holding the house cup and the Quidditch cup - I'm Quidditch captain, too."

Ron tore his eyes away from this splendid sight to look excitedly at Harry and I.

"Do you think this mirror shows the future?"

I opened my mouth excitedly, but Harry beat me to it.

"How can it? All my family are dead - let me have another look-"

"You had it to yourself all last night, give me a bit more time."

I heard something outside and I stare horrified at the door, "Guys.."

"You're only holding the Quidditch cup, what's interesting about that? I want to see my parents."

The footsteps were getting closer, "Guys be quiet!" I say frantically as I pull out my wand.

"Don't push me-"

A sudden noise outside in the corridor put an end to their discussion. They hadn't realized how loudly they had been talking. Idiots "I told you!" I said, but Ron pulled me down "Quick!"

Ron threw the cloak back over us as the luminous eyes of Mrs. Norris came round the door. We stood quite still, both thinking the same thing - did the cloak work on cats? After what seemed an age, she turned and left.

"This isn't safe - she might have gone for Filch, I bet she heard us. Come on."

Ron pulled me by the hand-and I grabbed Harry's- out of the room.

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The snow still hadn't melted the next morning.

"Want to play chess, Harry?" I asked as we all sat on the couch, slumped.

"No."

"Why don't we go down and visit Hagrid?" Ron opted.

"No... you go..."

"I know what you're thinking about, Harry, that mirror. Don't go back tonight." Ron said, staring at Harry

"Why not?"

"I dunno, I've just got a bad feeling about it - and anyway, you've had too many close shaves already. Filch, Snape, and Mrs. Norris are wandering around. So what if they can't see you? What if they walk into you? What if you knock something over?"

"You sound like Hermione."

"Right here you know." I say annoyed.

"I'm serious, Harry, don't go."

Ron walked away after Harry nodded, but I knew better...

"Harry, if you go, I go." I say and he looks over at me before smiling a very creepy smile. "Fine."

That third night we found his way more quickly than before. He was walking so fast, dragging me behind, I knew he-and I suppose I also- was making more noise than was wise, but we didn't meet anyone.

. Harry sank down to sit on the floor in front of the mirror. I sat down on top of a desk, and then laid back, I closed my eyes. It was so quiet, nothing could break this quietness.

Except -

"So - back again, Harry?"

I looked up and over at Harry, who looked back at me before he looked behind him. I also looked behind me, and-sitting on one of the desks by the wall was none other than Albus Dumbledore. Harry must have walked straight past him, so desperate to get to the mirror... But then again I didn't notice him either so...

"I - I didn't see you, sir."

"Strange how nearsighted being invisible can make you, Miss Granger," said Dumbledore nodding his head and I was relieved to see that he was smiling.

"So," said Dumbledore, slipping off the desk to sit on the floor with Harry, "you, like hundreds before you, have discovered the delights of the Mirror of Erised."

"I didn't know it was called that, Sir."

"But I expect you've realized by now what it does?"

"It - well - it shows me my family-"

"And it showed your friend Ron himself as head boy, and Hermione with her own little family.."

"How did you know - ?" I start, but get interrupted, as always.

"I don't need a cloak to become invisible," said Dumbledore gently. "Now, can you think what the Mirror of Erised shows us all?"

Harry shook his head. But I think I got the gist of it.

"Let me explain. The happiest man on earth would be able to use the Mirror of Erised like a normal mirror, that is, he would look into it and see himself exactly as he is. Does that help?"

Harry stood there staring blankly and I decided to speak up, "It shows us what we want... whatever we want..."

"Yes and no," said Dumbledore quietly as he looks over at me, "It shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts. You, who have never known your family, see them standing around you. Ronald Weasley, who has always been overshadowed by his brothers, sees himself standing alone, the best of all of them. However, this mirror will give us neither knowledge or truth. Men have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen, or been driven mad, not knowing if what it shows is real or even possible.

"The Mirror will be moved to a new home tomorrow, Harry, and you too, Hermione, and I ask you not to go looking for it again. If you ever do run across it, you will now be prepared. It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that. Now, why don't you put that admirable cloak back on and get off to bed?"

Harry stood up.

"Sir - Professor Dumbledore? Can I ask you something?" I ask

"Obviously, you've just done so," Dumbledore smiled. "You may ask me one more thing, however."

"What do you see when you look in the mirror?"

"I? I see myself holding a pair of thick, woolen socks."

Harry stared. and I smiled

"One can never have enough socks," said Dumbledore. "Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn't get a single pair. People will insist on giving me books."

It was only when I was back in bed that it struck me that Dumbledore might not have been quite truthful. But then again, I think, as I snuggle closer to NomWhal, it had been quite a personal question..

Quite a personal question in deed.

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Okay, sorry this took me forever to upload, but you know, life happens. C:

See you later, lovelies!

~Luna


	8. Chapter 8

Wow! We made it to chapter eight, people!

So firstly because I like to share way too much info, and I wanted to ask you all something, I just got braces on the 20th, and well, they hurt like fucking hell. I was wondering if any of you have/had braces, and wanted to give me some helpful advice?

come on, help a girl out.

Disclaimer: I don't own any characters. Belong to j.k rowling.

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I wake up and hurry to shower, first day of school, don't want to be late. Padma and Lavender both slept in the same bed, i've gotta give it to them, they are devoted to each other... maybe they are dating? I scrunch up my nose and shudder as I lather up my hair. I think about that mirror, and what it showed me. I must really want a family... and to be a potter, I guess. I rinse and hop out and into my bathrobe. I brush my teeth and make a mental note to ask someone to knock out my teeth so I could grow them back, but grow them back a little less... Beaver like.

I quickly brush through my hair, and it being _my_ hair, it decided to be extra bushy and frizzy today. I sigh and walk out and open my trunk. I change into my uniform, and place a charm on my bed so it will automatically make itself from now on, and rush downstairs to wait for Neville.

I stand there, a bit awkward, as I wait. I smile and nod to the early birds-like me-who are going down to the great hall for breakfast. early. I mean it says it right in the name _early-birds._

finally I hear someone come downstairs to and I look up both hopeful and expectantly, but it was only Harry.

He lights up and walks over to me, "Hermione, you didn't have to wait for me." He says and I place my hand on my neck and smile, "Actually Harry-"

"Hermione!" Neville says and he comes over and hugs me, "Hey." I say a bit taken aback by this gesture. Harry smiles and waves for us to leave, "Neville just in time, Hermione and I were just leaving... Come on." Neville looks over at me and I shrug.

we all walk down to the great hall and I eat some crepes.

"God these are amazing." I say in pure delight.

Neville gives me an odd look and harry smirks.

I blush and wipe my mouth with a napkin, "I'm finished, I will be in the common room if you need me."

They nod and I swing my bag on my shoulder and head off, only to be stopped by Draco in a back hallway that leads to nowhere in particular. He advances on me and I back up until I am touching the wall, and he is looming over me. He places one hand on the wall next to my face and the other in his pocket,"I'm up to you and Potter, Granger, and I won't rest until I know everything." I frown a bit confused, but then he glares and spits in my face "Filthy mudblood." he says walking away.

I stand there for a moment, wide eyed, open mouthed, staring at nothing in particular, until my legs give out and I crash onto the floor. I barely notice the tears that were forming in my eyes as I lay my head down on the ground. "was that-a bit of jealousy I detected in his voice? Does Malfoy like me?" I say quietly as I slowly get up and walk up the steps and then break into a run as I taste bile in my throat. I slam open the door to the girls bathroom, and pry open a toilet as I puke. I puke and puke and puke until my insides ache and my head hurts, then I puke some more.

After I finish, I wipe my mouth and flush the toilet. "You should really get that checked out you know..." Says a voice behind me as they sniff. I sigh and turn around to find myself staring straight at a ghost. "I think I need to-" I black out and when I came to, I was in a hospital bed, and it was two in the morning.

"I misses my first day back from Christmas vacation?!" I almost shriek, but someone next to me opens the curtain that separates us. "I knew you would flip, so I got all your homework for you," I look over and am surprised to see Neville laying there, in a full body cast and his face covered in white cream. "But that was before my spell backfired and I caught on fire, and then in an attempt to put out the fire, break every bone in my body, once again."

I smile and he smirks "Never fails, does it?" I ask as he hands over my bag full of assignments "No, it does not." he says and then looks out a window as I start to frantically scribbling answers.

I fell asleep with my potions essay...

I was released from the sick bay twenty four hours later, after they were sure I was better, and not going to black out again. I finished all my homework while in bed, so I was all caught up-more like ahead again-I thanks to Mrs Pomfrey, and I head out and towards the Great Hall. It was dinner time, and everyone was already eating, so I could slip in without being noticed easily.

I sit down between Harry and Neville, who both smile at me, Neville was released the day before, so he was alright and full of joy to see me back in good health again.

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we all headed back, except Neville, who was engrossed in his pudding. "Oh crap! I have quidditch practice! Be back later.." Harry says grabbing his broom and rushing out the door "bye." Ron and I say at the door.

"Want to play chess?" Ron asked and I smirked.

"You're going down."

"In your dreams, Hermione."

we began to competitively play chess while we waited for Harry to return.

I had already beat Ron twice, and we were now on our third game, when Harry came in through the door.

"Don't talk to me for a moment," said Ron when Harry sat down next to him, "I need to concen - " He looked up at Harry, and so did I.

"What's the matter with you? You look terrible."

"Snape is refereeing the next Quidditch game..." he says, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Don't play," I say at once.

"Say you're ill," said Ron.

"Pretend to break your leg," I try suggested.

"Really break your leg," said Ron.

"I can't," said Harry. "There isn't a reserve Seeker. If I back out, Gryffindor can't play at all."

At that moment Neville toppled into the common room. How he had managed to climb through the portrait hole was anyone's guess, because his legs had been stuck together with what they recognized at once as the Leg-Locker Curse. He must have had to bunny hop all the way up to Gryffindor tower.

Everyone fell over laughing except I, who leapt up and performed the countercurse. Neville's legs sprang apart and he got to his feet, trembling. "What happened?" I ask him frantically, leading him over to sit with Harry and Ron.

"Malfoy," said Neville shakily. "I met him outside the library. He said he'd been looking for someone to practice that on."

"Go to Professor McGonagall!" I urged Neville, remembering the encounter I had with him and how he actstowards us Gryffindors, "Report him!"

Neville shook his head. "I don't want more trouble," he mumbled.

"You've got to stand up to him, Neville!" said Ron. "He's used to walking all over people, but that's no reason to lie down in front of him and make it easier." I smack him-hard-(ow) and then I try to comphort Neville.

"There's no need to tell me I'm not brave enough to be in Gryffindor, Malfoy's already done that," Neville choked out.

Harry pulled out a chocolate frog from his pocket and then gave it to Neville, who looked as though he might cry.

"You're worth twelve of Malfoy," Harry said. "The Sorting Hat chose you for Gryffindor, didn't it? And where's Malfoy? In stinking Slytherin."

Neville's lips twitched in a weak smile as he unwrapped the frog.

"Thanks, Harry... I think I'll go to bed... D'you want the card, you collect them, don't you?"

"G'night Neville," I call as he disappears behind the first years dormitory door.  
Harry looked at the Famous Wizard card.  
"Dumbledore again," he said, "He was the first one I ever-"

He gasped. He stared at the back of the card. Then he looked up at Ron and I. I give him a questioning look as he breaks out in a grin.

"I've found him!" he whispered. "I've found Flamel! I told you I'd read the name somewhere before, I read it on the train coming here - listen to this: 'Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel'!"

I jumped up from my spot in between Harry and Ron.  
"Stay there!" I said, as I sprinted up the stairs to the girls' dormitories. I ran and grabbed something, then was dashing back, an enormous old book in my arms.

"I never thought to look in here!" she whispered excitedly. "I got this out of the library weeks ago for a bit of light reading."

"Light ?" said Ron, but I _shhd_ him and told him to be quiet until I had finished looking something up, and started flicking frantically through the pages, muttering to myself about boys.

At last I found what I was looking for.

"I knew it! I knew it!"

"Are we allowed to speak yet?" said Ron grumpily. I glared at him but didn't answer.

"Nicolas Flamel," I whispered a bit dramatically, "is the only known maker of the Sorcerer's Stone!"

This didn't have quite the effect I had anticipated, or even expected.

"The what?" said Harry and Ron.

"Oh, honestly, don't you two read? Listen."

I began to read aloud:

"The ancient study of alchemy is concerned with making the Sorcerer's Stone, a legendary substance with astonishing powers. The stone will transform any metal into pure gold. It also produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal.

There have been many reports of the Sorcerer's Stone over the centuries, but the only Stone currently in existence belongs to Mr. Nicolas Flamel, the noted alchemist and opera lover. Mr. Flamel, who celebrated his six hundred and sixty-fifth birthday last year, enjoys a quiet life in Devon with his wife, Perenelle (six hundred and fifty-eight)."

"See?" I say frantically once I had finished finished reading. "The dog must be guarding Flamel's Sorcerer's Stone! I bet he asked Dumbledore to keep it safe for him, because they're friends and he knew someone was after it, that's why he wanted the Stone moved out of Gringotts!"

"A stone that makes gold and stops you from ever dying!" said Harry. "No wonder Snape's after it! Anyone would want it."

"And no wonder we couldn't find Flamel in that Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry," said Ron. "He's not exactly recent if he's six hundred and sixty-five, is he?"

The next morning in Defense Against the Dark Arts, while copying down different ways of treating werewolf bites, Harry and Ron were still discussing what they'd do with a Sorcerer's Stone if they had one. I finally kicked them under the table to shut them up, and finished my E.C.(extra credit)

"I'm going to play," he told Ron and I, much to our amazement. "If I don't, all the Slytherins will think I'm just too scared to face Snape. I'll show them... it'll really wipe the smiles off their faces if we win."

"Just as long as we're not wiping you off the field," I said.

Harry nodded grimly and he grabbed his quidditch things and was off.

Ron and I, meanwhile, had found a place in the stands next to Neville, who couldn't understand why we looked so grim and worried, or why they had both brought their wands to the match("You aren't going to try and jinx the slytherin players, are you?") Little did Harry know that Ron and I had been secretly practicing the Leg-Locker Curse. we'd gotten the idea from Malfoy using it on Neville, and were ready to use it on Snape if he showed any sign of wanting to hurt Harry.

"Now, don't forget, it's Locomotor Mortis," I muttered as Ron slipped his wand up his sleeve.

"I know," Ron snapped. "Don't nag."

"The whole school's out there!" said Seamus, peering out into the crowd as he sat down behind us with Dean. I looked over at Lavender and winked, she blushed and looked away smiling. "Even - blimey - Dumbledore's come to watch!"

"Dumbledore?" I said, over where he was pointing, to make sure. Seamus was right. There was no mistaking that silver beard.

Ron and I could have laughed out loud with relief, Harry was safe. There was simply no way that Snape would dare to try to hurt him if Dumbledore was watching.

Perhaps that was why Snape was looking so angry as the teams marched onto the field, something that Ron noticed, too.

"I've never seen Snape look so mean," he told me as we watched. "Look - they're off. Ouch!"

Someone had poked Ron in the back of the head. It was Malfoy.

"Oh, sorry, Weasley, didn't see you there."

I roll my eyes and sigh in disgust, Malfoy was taken aback, but regained his ground and grinned broadly at Crabbe and Goyle.

"Wonder how long Potter's going to stay on his broom this time? Anyone want a bet? What about you, Weasley?"

Ron didn't answer and he stopped me from answering, or quite possibly punching him.

Snape had just awarded Hufflepuff a penalty because George Weasley had hit a Bludger at him. and I had my fingers crossed in my lap, was squinting fixedly at Harry, who was circling the game like a hawk, looking for the Snitch.

"You know how I think they choose people for the Gryffindor team?" said Malfoy loudly a few minutes later, as Snape awarded Hufflepuff another penalty for no reason at all. "It's people they feel sorry for. See, there's Potter, who's got no parents, then there's the Weasleys, who've got no money - you should be on the team, Longbottom, you've got no brains."

Neville went bright red but turned in his seat to face Malfoy. "I'm worth twelve of you, Malfoy," he stammered.

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle howled with laughter, but Ron, still not daring to take his eyes from the game, said, "You tell him, Neville."

"Longbottom, if brains were gold you'd be poorer than Weasley, and that's saying something."

Ron's nerves were already stretched to the breaking point with anxiety about Harry.

"I'm warning you, Malfoy - one more word-" I say now very irritated and about ready to punch him again.

"Hermione!" Said Ron suddenly, "Harry-"

"What? Where?"

Harry had suddenly gone into a spectacular dive, which drew gasps and cheers from the and I stood up, my crossed fingers in her mouth, as Harry streaked toward the ground like a bullet.

"You're in luck, Weasley, Potter's obviously spotted some money on the ground!" said Malfoy.

Ron snapped. Before Malfoy knew what was happening, Ron was on top of him, wrestling him to the ground. Neville hesitated, then clambered over the back of his seat to help.

"Come on, Harry!" I screamed, leaping onto my seat to watch as Harry sped straight at Snape - I didn't even notice Malfoy and Ron rolling around under her seat, or the scuffles and yelps coming from the whirl of fists that was Neville, Crabbe, and Goyle.

Up in the air, Snape turned on his broomstick just in time to see something scarlet shoot past him, missing him by inches - the next second, Harry had pulled out of the dive, his arm raised in triumph, the Snitch clasped in his hand.

The stands erupted; it had to be a record, no one could ever remember the Snitch being caught so quickly.

"Ron! Ron! Where are you? The game's over! Harry's won! We've won! Gryffindor is in the lead!" I shrieked dancing up and down on her seat and hugging Lavender and Padma in the row next.

Harry jumped off his broom, a foot from the ground.  
Snape spat bitterly on the ground.  
Ron and I raced down to congradulate him and I huged him tightly "Good job, Harry, you did great." I whisper before stepping back and letting his team take him away on their shoulders.

I turned to look at Ron, who had a bloodynose, and was already starting to bruise. "What happened to you?" I say and he just shakes his head sighing

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Harry, and I all walked back to the broom shed so Harry could return his Nimbus Two Thousand. Ron and Neville went to the sick bay to be cleaned up and to have Ron's nose fixed. Harry and I were laughing quietly, but then something caught my eye, and I tugged on Harry's sleeve, and he looked over at where I was pointing, silently.

A hooded figure came swiftly down the front steps of the castle. Clearly not wanting to be seen, it walked as fast as possible toward the forbidden forest. Harry's victory faded from my mind as we watched. I recognized the figure's prowling walk. Snape, sneaking into the forest while everyone else was at dinner - what was going on?

Harry jumped back on his Nimbus Two Thousand, pulled me on and took off. Gliding silently over the castle he saw Snape enter the forest at a run. we followed.

The trees were so thick I couldn't see where Snape had gone. we flew in circles, lower and lower, brushing the top branches of trees until he heard voices. we glided toward them and landed noiselessly in a towering beech tree.

we climbed carefully along one of the branches, me holding onto Harry's forearm, and Harry holding tight to his broomstick,both of us trying to see through the leaves.

Below, in a shadowy clearing, stood Snape, but he wasn't alone. Quirrell was there, too. I couldn't make out the look on his face, but he was stuttering worse than ever. my ears strained to catch what they were saying.

"... d-don't know why you wanted t-t-to meet here of all p-places, Severus..."

"Oh, I thought we'd keep this private," said Snape, his voice icy. "Students aren't supposed to know about the Sorcerer's Stone, after all."

Harry leaned forward, and so did I Quirrell was mumbling something. Snape interrupted him.

"Have you found out how to get past that beast of Hagrid's yet?"

Harry and I exchanged looks, and then we both looked back down at the scene playing before us.

"B-b-but Severus, I-"

"You don't want me as your enemy, Quirrell," said Snape, taking a step toward him.

"I-I don't know what you-"

"You know perfectly well what I mean."

An owl hooted loudly, and Harry nearly fell out of the tree I grabbed onto him to help him back up, and he steadied himself on my arm, and I looked back just in time to hear Snape say, " - your little bit of hocus-pocus. I'm waiting."

"B-but I d-d-don't-"

"Very well," Snape cut in. "We'll have another little chat soon, when you've had time to think things over and decided where your loyalties lie."

He threw his cloak over his head and strode out of the clearing. It was almost dark now, but Harry could see Quirrell, standing quite still as though he was petrified.

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"We won! You won! We won!" shouted Ron, thumping Harry on the back. "And I gave Malfoy a black eye, and Neville tried to take on Crabbe and Goyle single-handed! He's still out cold but Madam Pomfrey says he'll be all right - talk about showing Slytherin! I've waiting for you in the common room, we're having a party, Fred and George stole some cakes and stuff from the kitchens."

"Never mind that now," said Harry breathlessly. "Let's find an empty room, you wait 'til you hear this..."

I made sure Peeves wasn't inside before shutting the door behind us, and then harry told them what we'd seen and heard.

"So we were right, it is the Sorcerer's Stone, and Snape's trying to force Quirrell to help him get it. He asked if he knew how to get past Fluffy - and he said something about Quirrell's 'hocus pocus' - I reckon there are other things guarding the stone apart from Fluffy, loads of enchantments, probably, and Quirrell would have done some anti-Dark Arts spell that Snape needs to break through-"

"So you mean the Stone's only safe as long as Quirrell stands up to Snape?" said Ron

"It'll be gone by next Tuesday," said Harry, sighing.

I looked down at my feet, feeling quite hopeless.

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Got to end this here sorry this was shorter than usual, but I hope you all have a lovely weekend, and I'll see you in chapter nine... Bye!

(someone asked me something yesterday, and yes I actually do own a NomWhal from Tasty Peach Studios... I have the same one as Hermione along with the chocolate one. :3 They are so CUTE. Check it ouuuuuttttt... this was not sponsored btw.)

~Luna


	9. Chapter 9

Welcome back everyone!

I am super excited to let you all know that we are almost done with this fanfcition! We will soon be able to go onto the next book, and hopefully get a bit more loving, sense they will be older. I mean when I was twelve I would go on "Dates" which was just basically going out to get ice cream and play at the park, but still.

Now that I'm older I can see how innocent, simple, and chidlish those dates were, But back then we were totally serious... I know some people might think it's a bit odd that I was "Dating" at twelve, but again, It was simple and innocent crushing. Not like high school, where some of my friends went on dates and were just groping each other, or going "All the way" God what I would give to have those times back... Fuck I miss being an innocent and devilish kid... Now I am just labeled as "Perverted" and "That weird girl who likes to write about books she reads and makes them do it..." Yup. What I would give to be labeled as "cute little hellion" or "Child with possible mental problems" or even "Psychopath." Okay so what if every fish I got mysteriously died from unknown causes or was found in the microwave?! I was just a child back then who had odd ideas that she took a little too far... CX

Okay I'm gonna stop rambling now and let you all continue to the shit you really want to read~

Disclaimer: Nope I sadly don't own any of these characters, they all belong to Rowling. C:

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Quirrel was surprising stronger than we had all anticipated, because even though he looked sickly and white, he was still looked as if he hadn't cracked yet.

Every time we passed the third-floor corridor, Harry, Ron, and I would press our ears to the door to check that Fluffy was still growling inside. Snape was sweeping about in his usual bad temper, which surely meant that the Stone was still safe. Whenever Harry passed Quirrell these days he gave him an encouraging sort of smile, and Ron had started telling people off for laughing at Quirrell's stutter.

I sat there in class while he rambled off about some creature and what we were to write about. I had already finished the assignment, and taken a full two pages of notes, so I could spend a little while to think or space out.

 _I can't believe Snape is actually the one behind everything... I mean granted I don't know everything that happened to Harry, but still..._

 _and I believe Harry and I are getting closer... I mean he certainly trusts me, and I trust him. But I feel like something in the future might happen... Something big, and that note I got on Christmas day... Who cares if Harry and I are friends? And how exactly am I going t get hurt?_

I'm not sure how long I was zoned out, but I was pulled out of my thoughts as the school bell rang. Lunch.

I sigh and pack up my things, "Hey. I left something in the common room, I'll catch up, k?" I say to my three male friends, who all nod and I rush off to the Gryffindor tower. Once inside I run up the steps and push open the door.

I walk over to my bedside table and pull out the single drawer. I push aside the miscellaneous things until I reach a very crumpled note.

 _"You're not safe, you will never be safe, get out now while you still can. If you stick with H.P. You will surely be hurt-_

 _You have been warned._

 _Oh and Happy Christmas."_

I frown at it. How could anyone possibly know I was going to get hurt? Harry surely wouldn't hurt me, and even though Ron can be a wee bit annoying, he wouldn't hurt me either...

But maybe it was from Draco. Draco would most likely hurt a _Mudblood_ like me. God he's so arrogant. and a jerk...

I place the note back in my drawer and look at something else, it was a drawing I made when I was about five. It was of me and my future family. I furrow my brow and look closer to see that "my" husband looked almost exactly like Harry, and that there were three kids. Two girls and one baby boy... I gasp and shove that farther back and cover it up with a book.

How the heck did I... I mean it's exactly like what was in the mirror... did five year old me know what I wanted, even before _I_ knew what I wanted?!

And Harry only thinks of me as a friend, nothing more... Right?

I shake my head and push away all those thoughts. I sit there for a moment looking down at my shoes, and only remembering it was lunch when my stomach growled. I get up and rush down the stairs and out the door.

I finally reached the Great Hall, and I sit next to Lavender and Neville this time. Harry and Ron sat across from me and we all ate and joked. I sensed someone was watching me, and I look up to catch Dumbledore looking closely at me. There was something off in his eyes... And then-poof-they were back to normal, all shiny and twinkly. he smiles warmly at me and nods his head, before he turns and starts chatting with Professor McGonagall.

I go back to eating, but then I sense someone was watching me _again_ I look up to see Malfoy staring coldly at Harry's head, and then he makes eyecontact with me and glares. His eyes are so cold and almost lifeless. I shudder-he certainly is intimidating in his own way-

"Hermione? You okay?" Someone says and I snap my eyes to see that Harry, Ron, Neville, Lavender, and Padma, were all staring at me. I smile a fake smile and nod

"yeah, sorry I zoned out for a moment... You were saying?" Everyone goes back to talking, except Harry, who after staring at me curiously, but eventually goes back to conversing with Ron.

I sigh and look down at my salad, and I pick at it with my fork. I move the lettuce and various toppings around for a bit before finally taking a bite.

But only because Harry was still looking at me oddly from the corner of his eye.

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That night in the common room, I had more on my mind than just the Sorcerer's stone. I had started drawing up study schedules and color coding all her notes. Harry and Ron just wouldn't to do the same, even though I kept nagging them to do so.

"Hermione, the exams are ages away."

"Ten weeks," I snapped. "That's not ages, that's like a second to Nicolas Flamel."

"But we're not six hundred years old," Ron reminded my. "Anyway, what are you studying for, you already know it's an A."

"What am I studying for? Are you crazy? You realize we need to pass these exams to get into the second year? They're very important, I should have started studying a month ago, I don't know what's gotten into me..." I mutter as I flip through a book about werewolves.

Fortunately the teachers were sane and seemed to be thinking along the same lines as me. They piled so much homework on them that the Easter holidays weren't nearly as much carefree and boring-Okay, so the snowball fights and long talks and chess with Harry was sort of nice, but still-as the Christmas ones. It was hard to relax with Harry and Ron next to you obviously dozing off and daydreaming while you're trying to recite the twelve uses of dragon's blood or practicing wand movements. Harry and Ron spent most of their free time in the library with me-there was a _lot_ of moaning and whining, let me tell you-, trying to get through all their extra work.

"I'll never remember this," Ron burst out one afternoon-we were working in the library after lunch- throwing down his quill and looking longingly out of the library window. It was the first really fine day they'd had in months. The sky was a clear, forget-me-not blue, and there was a feeling in the air of summer coming.  
Harry, who was looking up "Dittany" in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, didn't even look up when Ron continued complaining, but I did, and I saw a very similar and fairly large face peeking through some books, "Hagrid! What are you doing in the library?"  
Hagrid shuffled into view, hiding something behind his back. He looked very out of place in his moleskin overcoat.

"Jus' lookin'," he said, in a shifty voice that got their interest at once. "An' what're you lot up ter?" He looked suddenly suspicious. "Yer not still lookin' fer Nicolas Flamel, are yeh?"  
"Oh, we found out who he is ages ago," said Ron impressively. "And we know what that dog's guarding, it's a Sorcerer's St-" I face palm at Ron's stupidity and finish writing down something as I absently listen to the conversation between the three male specimens.

"Shhhh!" Hagrid looked around quickly to see if anyone was listening. "Don' go shoutin' about it, what's the matter with yeh?" I nod vaguely and mutter "Uh isn't it obvious? This is _Ron_ we are talking about. What isn't wrong with him?" Unfortunately, Ron heard me and looked over glaring. He flicks my forehead and I stick my tongue out at him.

"There are a few things we wanted to ask you, as a matter of fact," said Harry trying to distract Ron and I from each other, "about what's guarding the Stone apart from Fluffy-"

"SHHHH!" said Hagrid again. "Listen - come an' see me later, I'm not promisin' I'll tell yeh anythin', mind you, but don' go rabbitin' about it in here, students aren' s'pposed ter know. They'll think I've told yeh-"

"See you later, then," said Harry.

"Bye Hagrid!" I say as he shuffled off.

"What was he hiding behind his back?" I say thoughtfully once I was sure he had gone.

"Do you think it had anything to do with the Stone?"

"I'm going to see what section he was in," said Ron, who'd had enough of working. He came back a minute later with a pile of books in his arms and slammed them down on the table.

"Dragons!" he whispered. "Hagrid was looking up stuff about dragons! Look at these: Dragon Species of Great Britain and Ireland; From Egg to Inferno, A Dragon Keeper's Guide."

"Hagrid's always wanted a dragon, he told me so the first time I ever met him, " said Harry.

"But it's against our laws," said Ron. "Dragon breeding was outlawed by the Warlocks' Convention of 1709, everyone knows that. It's hard to stop Muggles from noticing us if we're keeping dragons in the back garden - anyway, you can't tame dragons, it's dangerous. You should see the burns Charlie's got off wild ones in Romania."

"But there aren't wild dragons in Britain ?" said Harry.

"Of course there are," said Ron. "Common Welsh Green and Hebridean Blacks. The Ministry of Magic has a job hushing them up, I can tell you. Our kind have to keep putting spells on Muggles who've spotted them, to make them forget."

"So what on earth's Hagrid up to?" I mutter as I fix something on Harry's parchment.

Harry smiles over at me, and I blush. I almost melted right there again, and in order to not pounce on harry, I look down, clear my throat, and finish what I was writing.

Ron looks between harry and I with an odd look, but shrugs and opens up the book about taking care of dragons.

I gasp and they look over at me, "Oh my god," I breathe dramatically, "Ronald Weasely, not only holding, but also _reading_ a book out of his own freewill?! Someone pinch me now, because I must be hallucinating." I smirk as Ron's face turns a deep shade of scarlet and Harry laughs.

Ron then pinches me-hard-"Ow!" I say and glare at him, and he looks back, innocently and he even bats his eyelashes a bit, "What? You told us to pinch you. I was just fulfilling your wish." Harry fistbumps him and I gape at him, "Jerks..." I say "I'm not checking your homework for the next two days." I say and push Harry's parchment and quill back towards him. hey both stare horrified at me and I lean back a satisfied smile playing at my lips.

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When we knocked on the door of the gamekeeper's hut an hour later, we three were surprised to see that all the curtains were closed. Hagrid called "Who is it?" before he let them in, and then shut the door quickly behind them.

It was stifling hot inside. Even though it was such a warm day, there was a blazing fire in the grate. Hagrid made them tea and offered them stoat sandwiches, which they refused.

"So - yeh wanted to ask me somethin'?"

"Yes," said Harry. There was no point beating around the bush. "We were wondering if you could tell us what's guarding the Sorcerer's Stone apart from Fluffy."

Hagrid frowned at us three and I smiled innocently while I rub my neck.

"O' course I can't," he said. "Number one, I don' know meself. Number two, yeh know too much already, so I wouldn' tell yeh if I could. That Stone's here fer a good reason. It was almost stolen outta Gringotts - I s'ppose yeh've worked that out an' all? Beats me how yeh even know abou' Fluffy."

"Oh, come on, Hagrid, you might not want to tell us, but you do know, you know everything that goes on round here," I say in a warm, flattering voice-Being a girl does have it's perks, doesn't it?- Hagrid's beard twitched and they could tell he was smiling. "We only wondered who had done the guarding, really." I ventured on. "We wondered who Dumbledore had trusted enough to help him, apart from you."

Hagrid's chest swelled at these last words. Harry and Ron beamed at me and I blushed slightly.

"Well, I don' s'pose it could hurt ter tell yeh that... let's see... he borrowed Fluffy from me... then some o' the teachers did enchantments... Professor Sprout - Professor Flitwick - Professor McGonagall - " he ticked them off on his fingers, "Professor Quirrell - an' Dumbledore himself did somethin', o' course. Hang on, I've forgotten someone. Oh yeah, Professor Snape."

"Snape?" we all say in unison, and Harry sits forward in his seat.

"Yeah - yer not still on abou' that, are yeh? Look, Snape helped protect the Stone, he's not about ter steal it."

I knew Harry and Ron were thinking the same as I was. If Snape had been in on protecting the Stone, it must have been easy to find out how the other teachers had guarded it. He probably knew everything - except, it seemed, Quirrell's spell and how to get past Fluffy.

"You're the only one who knows how to get past Fluffy. aren't you, Hagrid?" said Harry anxiously. "And you wouldn't tell anyone, would you? Not even one of the teachers?"

"Not a soul knows except me an' Dumbledore," said Hagrid proudly.

"Well, that's something," Harry muttered to Ron and I. "Hagrid, can we have a window open? I'm boiling."

"Can't, Harry, sorry," said Hagrid. Harry noticed him glance at the fire. I looked at it, too.

"Hagrid - what's that ?" I say nervous that I knew the answer, but I really hoped I didn't.

"Ah," said Hagrid, fiddling nervously with his beard, "That's - er..."

I looked closer and I soon realized I was right in knowing what exactly it was- . In the very heart of the fire, underneath the kettle, was a huge, black egg.

"Where did you get it, Hagrid?" said Ron, crouching over the fire to get a closer look at the egg. "It must've cost you a fortune."

"Won it," said Hagrid. "Las' night. I was down in the village havin' a few drinks an' got into a game o' cards with a stranger. Think he was quite glad ter get rid of it, ter be honest."

"But what are you going to do with it when it's hatched?" said Harry. And I nodded in agreement.

"Well, I've bin doin' some readin'," said Hagrid, pulling a large book from under his pillow. "Got this outta the library - Dragon Breeding for Pleasure and Profit - it's a bit outta date, o' course, but it's all in here. Keep the egg in the fire, 'cause their mothers breathe on I em, see, an' when it hatches, feed it on a bucket o' brandy mixed with chicken blood every half hour. An' see here - how ter recognize diff'rent eggs - what I got there's a Norwegian Ridgeback. They're rare, them."

He looked very pleased with himself, but I'm sure you could tell I wasn't-pleased that is-

"Hagrid, you live in a wooden house," I said.

But Hagrid wasn't listening. He was humming merrily as he stoked the fire(Wouldn't that hurt?)

So now they had something else to worry about: what might happen to Hagrid if anyone found out he was hiding an illegal dragon in his hut.

we walked back to the common room and I practically forced Harry and Ron to finish their Potions essays. I then went on to review it for them and fix anything that was wrong.

Ron almost fell asleep, and decided it was time for him to go to bed.

"night"

"Night." harry and I say and I finish reviewing his so he cold go to bed too.

"thanks, you're a lifesaver," Harry says as he stuffs his essay and books in his bag. He then kisses my cheek and rushes off saying something about g'night.

I sit there, fixed to my seat, and I touch my cheek with trembling fingers I can feel the warm blush creep up my face and I smile dreamily, "Night, Potter..." I say and not even blinking, I slowly hop off the chair and go up to take a well deserved bath.

While I sit there, soaking in my little bubble kingdom, I stare off into space, and replay the cheek-kissing over and over again in my mind.

 _"Thanks, you're a lifesaver,"_ I remember the soft feel of his lips, and the warm feeling that spread through my body as I smelled his shampoo-something woodsy-and how natural it seemed to him.

I sigh and sink down lower in the water and I close my eyes.

I replay the scene again, but this time in different scenarios.

 _"Thank you my dearest Hermione, you are truly to smartest and most gorgeous person in the whole world. You are a lifesaver... **My** lifesaver." He whispers, leaning in slightly. _

I imagine my pulse quickening and my breaths coming in quick and short.

 _"'twas nothing, Harry, I would do anything for you..." I say as he leans in closer_

 _"Oh I know, and that's why I love you so much..." he was now inches away from my face, and before I knew it, he was kissing my cheek and rushing away._

my fantasies were crushed when I ran out of air and had to burst out from my little water-bubble-thing. I take deep breaths as I run my hand over my hair and lean back.

I then rinse off and get dried. I change into my nightgown and hop in bed with Nomy-NomWhal's nickname I gave him- I pull the covers up and over my head as I secretly smile.

 _Harry might actually like me..._

and with that I drift off into a very...Dream like dream...

 _"Thanks, you're a life saver!" harry says and kisses me on the cheek_

 _the dream morphs and I am sitting in the same spot, with Harry and Ron, only they seem older, like... 15 maybe? and to my suprise, when I look down, I actually have boobs. Like decently sized boobs.. "what the-where did these come from?" I think._

 _Harry keeps looking over at me from the corner of his eyes and I keep looking down blushing. Ron has his hand on my thigh and I am checking their work-typical, they'll never change, will they?-Ron yawns, squeezes my thigh, "i'm so tired, I'm going to head on up..Night 'Mione," he says and leans in and kisses me, then getting up, "Night Harry, see you up there?" He asks swinging his bag over his shoulder. Harry nods mutely and I look down at my feet as Ron walks away._

 _"You don't have to be that way, you know." I say after I hear the door close. Harry looks over at me and I stare into his eyes. "Like what?" he asks and I roll my eyes._

 _"Like 'I'm gonna be all passive-aggressive towards my best friend because he kissed his girlfriend in front of me." I say in my best man voice. Harry chuckles a bit before placing a hand under my chin._

 _"I'm only acting that way because my best friend's soon to be **ex-girlfriend** is kissing him, when she and I both know that she actually wants to be kissing me."_

 _"is that so?" I say smirking. "it is," He says and leans in. I lean in and close my eyes. our lips make contact and it send shudders through my whole body, he turns his head to the side while he kisses and I sigh in content. He pulls me over on his lap and I sit there, legs hanging over the chair, arms around his neck, and kissing the love of my life, everything seemed perfect... Until._

 _BAM! we fall over and I land ontop of harry. I laugh and so does he. soon we calm down and I stay like that, looming over him, smiling for a moment._

 _"I love you so much, Hermione." he whispers running his hand through my hair. I lean into his hand._

 _"I love you too..." I say and lean down to kiss him again_

That's when I wake up, and, my hand in the air, my lips tingling, I feel a single tear escape my eye and fall down my cheek.

"If only..." I whisper and let my hand fall down on my bed.

...

"Wonder what it's like to have a peaceful life," Ron sighed, one evening as he and Harry struggled through all the extra homework we were getting.

I had finished all of mine and was reading a book as I waited for them to finish. "Oh shush up, Ronald and take this homework like a man." I say vaguely as I turn a page and glance up at him; he gives me a face before sighing in defeat and went back to work. a few hours later I had finished my book and was working on other things. "Hermione can you please check this?" "In a moment.." I then placed a blue sticky note on page before smiling proudly. I had now started making study schedules for Harry and Ron, too. It was driving them nuts-and I loved that it was-

Then, one day about mid-way through breakfast, Hedwig brought Harry another note from Hagrid. I looked over Harry's shoulder and just about dropped my knife I was using to spread butter on my pancakes-He had written only two words: _It's hatching._

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Okay so going to end this here-Sorta a cliff hanger of sorts? XD I don't know. And can you belive I fucking lost my Harry Potter and the philosopher's stone?! I had to freaking look it up online so I could know what was happening next(Sorry I am not a die-hard fan who knows the books cover to cover)

Anyways, have a nice night/day/afternoon Lovelies!

~Luna


	10. Chapter 10

AN:

Heyyyyyyy we lived to see another fucking chapter! I am honestly surprised...

Anyways so I think we have come so far in such a small amount of time c:

I think I might even continue this cute little love story all the way to the end. So that means six or even maybe seven fanfics... Oh and I am waiting impatiently for the eight book to come out! I got an email from B&N and I flipped out when I saw it was from J.K Rowling and that it was another HP book... I was all like "OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG" I then proceeded to dance around my room in the dark( I do **_Not_** recommend this, as it led to me tripping over my computer chair and falling flat on my face. I almost killed my Aloe Vera plant, in my failed attempts to cling on to my shelves...) And then pre-ordered it the very next morning. :3

Speaking of HP and J.K. Rowling, I don't own any of the characters. They all belong to J.K Rowling...

On with da storiesssss~

(Oh p.s I am stoping that 8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8 thing, it takes up a lot of fucking time... So yeah :P)

* * *

 _Ｉｔ'ｓ ｈＡｔＣｈｅｄ。_

I gasp and Ron was grinning like a madman. Harry just stares at the note blankly.

"Let's just skip Herbology and go strait to Hagrid's!" Ron says excitdly. I of course wouldn't hear of it, so while smacking Ron with the Daily Prophet, I said, "No! No! NO! Absolutely not! That is one the few if not the _only_ class where Neville is actually good at!" I say, then looking over at my friend I smile sheepishly and add, "No offence, Neville... What I meant to say was... It's the only class you might be better at than me..." Neville seemed to glow with pride at this and smiles. Ron scoffs and opens his mouth to most likely say something rude, but I elbowed him in the stomach.

He glared at me, and I smiled a fake smile. He rolls his eyes," We're getting off track guys," Harry says as he piles a forkfull of eggs in his mouth Ron looks over and beams at his friend. He nods excitedly and looks over at me with a longing look in his eyes, "Harry's right, Hermione, how many times in our lives are we going to see a dragon hatching?"

I shake my head and close my eyes, "I honestly hoped never, but sense this is unavoidable, only _once_ Ronald, are we going to see a dragon hatch," Ron gets a hopeful look on his face and opens his mouth to say something, but I don't let him "and that _one_ time is going to be after and _only after_ Herbology." I say and then take a bite out of my buttered toast.

Ron opens his mouth again, but Harry puts his hand on Ron's forearm, and shakes his head looking at Ron sadly, as if to say _There's no use._ Ron sighs and puts his head down sadly.

When the bell sounded from the castle telling us it was morning break and that our lesson was over, the three of us dropped our trowels at once and hurried through the grounds to the edge of the forest. Hagrid greeted us, looking flushed and excited.

"It's nearly out." He ushered us inside. I looked over at the fire, but didn't see anything. Harry tugged on my robe and I looked over where he was pointing...The egg was lying on the table. There were deep cracks in it. Something was moving inside; a funny clicking noise was coming from it.

we all drew the chairs we were sitting in up to the table and watched with bated breath.

All at once there was a scraping noise and the egg split open. The baby dragon flopped onto the table. It wasn't exactly pretty; I'm sure Ron and Harry most likely thought it looked like a crumpled, black umbrella. but I thought it was cute with Its spiny wings that were huge compared to its skinny jet body, and with it's adorable long snout with wide nostrils, the stubs of horns and bulging, and it's magnificent orange eyes.

It sneezed. A couple of sparks flew out of its snout.

"Isn't he beautiful ?" Hagrid murmured. I nodded absently as Hagrid reached out a hand to stroke the dragon's head. It snapped at his fingers, showing pointed fangs.

"Bless him, look, he knows his mommy!" said Hagrid.

"Hagrid," I said regainling my sense of reality and remembering the how dire this... _situation_... was, "how fast do Norwegian Ridgebacks grow, exactly?"

Hagrid was about to answer when the color suddenly drained from his face - he leapt to his feet and ran to the window.

"What's the matter?" I ask suddenly afraid he spotted two more dragon eggs that randomly appered... What? Anything is possible with Hagrid. I mean I certainly wouldn't put it past happening...

"Someone was lookin' through the gap in the curtains - it's a kid - he's runnin' back up ter the school."

Harry bolted to the door and looked out. I rushed over and with one hand on Harry's back, the other on the door frame, I peered out and into the cold courtyard...Even at a distance there was no mistaking him.

Malfoy had seen the dragon.

We made our way back to the Gryffindor Tower like sloths that night. With Malfoy haveing seen Norbert, and the classes-which I'm not complaining about... at least not too much- was so tired I was about ready to fall alseep right then and there on the moving stairs.

"uuuuuuugghhhhhh" I moan and Harry and Ron nod in agreement, "I'm so tireeeddddd... Someone, please just put me out of my misery," I say and slump dramatically as we wait for the stairs to reattach itself to the wall. They snigger and I stick my toungue out at them.

We finally made it back to the common room, and I fell down on the couch and passed out. Seriously, when I woke back up, it was three in the morning and I slowly and very tiredly made my way up the stairs and into my warm...Safe...comfy..bed...

"ZZZzzzzZZZZzzzzZZZZzzzzZZZzzzz" I rolled over to see Lavender snoring and I sigh, pulling the curtains around my bed and finally, falling back into a deep slumber until-

"BEEP BEEP... BEEEEEEP BEEEEEEEEEEP. JUST WAKE THE HECK UP ALREADY!" My wand screams at me. I make a mental note to never fall asleep with my wand in my hand. I shut it off and groggily make my way towards the first years bathroom.

When I do make it to the great hall, I am still so tired, and I was a bit grumpy and irritable.

"Hey Hermione, guess wh-" someone says as they place their hands over my eyes, "Not now, Fred, George." I say and bang my head against the table a few times before just laying it there. Two faces pop up from under the table, and I moan when I see it's Fred and George, "Aww, what's wrong Hermione?"

"Go away or I swear I will jinx you both!" I growl.

they back away eyes wide "Hey Her-" Someone says approaching my back, but Fred and George shake their head violently, mouthing the words "No no no. turn around or she will jinx you... Bad day." No one bothered me the rest of the day.

* * *

Something about the smile lurking on Malfoy's face during the next week made Harry, Ron, and I very nervous. we spent most of our free time in Hagrid's darkened hut, trying to reason with him.

"Just let him go," Harry urged. "Set him free."

"I can't," said Hagrid. "He's too little. He'd die."

Harry and I looked at the dragon. It had grown three times in length in just a week. Smoke kept furling out of its nostrils. Hagrid hadn't been doing his gamekeeping duties because the dragon was keeping him so busy. There were empty brandy bottles and chicken feathers all over the floor.

"I've decided to call him Norbert," said Hagrid, looking at the dragon with misty eyes. "He really knows me now, watch. Norbert! Norbert! Where's Mommy?"

"He's lost his marbles," Ron muttered in my ear and I nodded, whispering the same in Harry's.

"Hagrid," said Harry loudly, "give it two weeks and Norbert's going to be as long as your house. Malfoy could go to Dumbledore at any moment."

Hagrid bit his lip. "I - I know I can't keep him forever, but I can't jus' dump him, I can't." I sensed a melt down on the verge, so with what some call motherly instinct, I rush over and sit next to him, one hand on his back and the other on his forearm. I pat and rub and try to say calming things. Slowly Hagrid calms down and trys to stroke the dragon again. I shudder.

Harry suddenly turned to Ron. "Charlie." he said. I looked over at my two friends next to me, while I tried to comfort the huge man.

"You're losing it, too," said Ron as he leaned close to my ear, then talking a little louder he said, "I'm Ron, remember?"

"No - Charlie - your brother, Charlie. In Romania. Studying dragons. We could send Norbert to him. Charlie can take care of him and then put him back in the wild!"

"Brilliant!" said Ron. "How about it, Hagrid?" He looked over at the large man staring wistfully at the dragon babe.

Hagrid thought on this for a moment. He looked at Harry who was nodding fairly fast, then to Ron, who's eyes were wide with something between the lines of hope, horror, and excitement. He the turned to me, and I smiled encouragingly, and gave a small nod. He stared in to my eyes for a bit before sighing.

And in the end, Hagrid agreed that we three could send an owl to Charlie to ask him.

* * *

The following week dragged by. Wednesday night found Harry and I sitting alone in the common room, long after everyone else had gone to bed.

"so," He says clearly trying to make small talk, but failing. "So..." Harry has an odd look in his face, but it slowly fades into amusement, I glare at him "now just what are you smiling abo-"

"You smell good..." someone whispers in my ear from behind me and I jump. I swiftly turn around to see Seamus Finnagin's eyes and upper head just barley visible behind the couch. He was staring at me and had his fingers on the couch.

Harry leans to see past me and then slowly leans back into the original position, his face unreadable. I stare down at the boy in horror as he just continues to crouch behind the couch, staring into my eyes... right into my _soul_. he lifts his head up and rests his chin on the couch. "You look pretty in the gleaming light from the red-hot-melt-your-skin-off fire that is my soul..." he whispers, eyes wide. Harry, who decided to make things worse leaned back into Seamus's eyesight. "yeah, you're right, she is radiating in the-red-hot-whatever-you-said-fire that is your passion and soul..." says with an amused look on his face. I on the other hand, was not so amused. "See? Even the famous Harry Potter thinks we look good together... so what do you say? Go to Hogsmead with me?" with that Seamus slowly crouches down again so you can only see his eyes and fingertips. I open my mouth, speachless. This boy, who I thought hated me, not only had a crush on me, but was actually asking me out? I sigh and sit back down on the couch.

"I'm sorry, but I already have a dates set up with friends for all the Hogsmead weekends... Maybe next year. I am really flattered though.. SO yeah, come back next year, okay?" I say smiling and he nods, looking hopeful and sad at the same time.

"Geez, didn't know you were so populor with the boys, 'Mione." Harry jokes once Seamus was gone. "me neither." I mutter. "Why didn't you accept?" he asks, prying at me a bit, "Oh... Well if I was honest with myself, probably because I only have one guy I really want to be with, but sense I'm not honest, then because I promised Ron I would go with him, and then Neville, and then you asked a while ago, and then the last hogsmead weekend, I'm with Lavender and Padma." I say and harry stares.

"who's the lucky guy, my Hermione is crushing on?" He teases and I blush I was about to make an excuse so I wouldn't have to answer that, but just then the clock on the wall had just chimed midnight when the portrait hole burst open. Ron appeared out of nowhere as he pulled off Harry's invisibility cloak. He had been down at Hagrid's hut, helping him feed Norbert, who was now eating dead rats by the crate.

"It bit me!" he said, showing Harry and I his hand, which was wrapped in a bloody handkerchief. "I'm not going to be able to hold a quill for a week. I tell you, that dragon's the most horrible animal I've ever met, but the way Hagrid goes on about it, you'd think it was a fluffy little bunny rabbit. When it bit me he told me off for frightening it. And when I left, he was singing it a lullaby."

There was a tap on the dark window. we all looked over and I gasped, along with Harry.

"It's Hedwig!" He said, hurrying to let her in. "She'll have Charlie's answer!"

The three of us put their heads together to read the note.

Ｄｅａｒ Ｒｏｎ，

Ｈｏｗ Ａｒｅ ｙｏｕ？ Ｔｈａｎｋｓ ｆｏｒ ｔｈｅ ｌｅｔｔｅｒ－－

Ｉ'ｄ ｂｅ ｇｌａｄ ｔｏ ｔａｋｅ－Ｎｏｒｂｅｒｔ？－ｔｈｅ Ｎｏｒｗｅｇｉａｎ Ｒｉｄｇｅｂａｃｋ，ｂｕｔ ｉｔ ｗｏｎ'ｔ ｂｅ ｅａｓｙ ｇｅｔｔｉｎｇ ｈｉｍ ｈｅｒｅ。。。Ｉ ｔｈｉｎｋ ｔｈｅ ｂｅｓｔ ｔｈｉｎｇ ｗｉｌｌ ｂｅ ｔｏ ｓｅｎｄ ｈｉｍ ｏｖｅｒ ｗｉｔｈ ｓｏｍｅ ｆｒｉｅｎｄｓ ｏｆ ｍｉｎｅ ｗｈｏ ａｒｅ ｃｏｍｉｎｇ ｏｖｅｒ ｈｅｒｅ ｔｏ ｖｉｓｉｔ ｍｅ ｎｅｘｔ ｗｅｅｋ－Ｔｒｏｕｂｌｅ ｉｓ，ｔｈｅｙ ｍｕｓｔｎ'ｔ ｂｅ ｓｅｅｎ ｃａｒｒｙｉｎｇ ａｎ ｉｌｌｅｇａｌ ｄｒａｇｏｎ。。 Ｃｏｕｌｄ ｙｏｕ ｇｅｔ ｔｈｅ

Ｒｉｄｇｅｂａｃｋ ｕｐ ｔｏ ｔｈｅ ｔａｌｌｅｓｔ ｔｏｗｅｒ ｏｎ Ｓａｔｕｒｄａｙ？Ｔｈｅｙ ｃｏｕｌｄ ｍｅｅｔ ｙｏｕ ｔｈｅｒｅ ａｎｄ ｔａｋｅ ｈｉｍ ａｗａｙ ｗｈｉｌｅ ｉｔ ｉｓ ｓｔｉｌｌ ｄａｒｋ ｏｕｔ。

Ｓｅｎｄ ｍｅ ａｎ ａｎｓｗｅｒ Ａ。Ｓ。Ａ。Ｐ。

Ｌｏｖｅ，

Ｃｈａｒｌｉｅ。

we looked at one another.

"We've got the invisibility cloak," said Harry. "It shouldn't be too difficult - I think the cloaks big enough to cover two of us and Norbert."

It was a mark of how bad the last week had been that Ron and I agreed with him. Anything to get rid of Norbert - and Malfoy.

* * *

There was a hitch. By the next morning, Ron's bitten hand had swollen to twice its usual size. He didn't know whether it was safe to go to Madam Pomfrey - would she recognize a dragon bite? By the afternoon, though, he had no choice. The cut had turned a nasty shade of green. It looked as if Norbert's fangs were poisonous... Just as I suspected...

Harry and I rushed up to the hospital wing at the end of the day to find Ron in a terrible state in bed.

"It's not just my hand," he whispered, "although that feels like it's about to fall off. Malfoy told Madam Pomfrey he wanted to borrow one of my books so he could come and have a good laugh at me. He kept threatening to tell her what really bit me - I've told her it was a dog, but I don't think she believes me - I shouldn't have hit him at the Quidditch match, that's why he's doing this."

Harry and I tried desperately to calm Ron down.

"It'll all be over at midnight on Saturday," I said, but this didn't soothe Ron at all. On the contrary, he sat bolt upright and broke into a sweat.

"Midnight on Saturday!" he said in a hoarse voice. "Oh no oh no - I've just remembered - Charlie's letter was in that book Malfoy took, he's going to know we're getting rid of Norbert."

I feel my pulse quicken and my stomach drop. my eyes widen and I look over at Harry, who looked back at me. Finally Harry opened his mouth to say something but didn't get the chance to. Madam Pomfrey came over at that moment and made them leave, saying Ron needed sleep.

"It's too late to change the plan now," Harry told me as we walked down to Hagrid's hut to speak to him. "We haven't got time to send Charlie another owl, and this could be our only chance to get rid of Norbert. We'll have to risk it. And we have got the invisibility cloak, Malfoy doesn't know about that."

we found Fang, the boarhound, sitting outside with a bandaged tail when we reached his hut, and saw Hagird who opened a window to talk to them.

"I won't let you in," he puffed. "Norbert's at a tricky stage - nothin' I can't handle."

When they told him about Charlie's letter, his eyes filled with tears, although that might have been because Norbert had just bitten him on the leg.

I looked down and backed away from the window nervously.

"Aargh! It's all right, he only got my boot - jus' playin' - he's only a baby, after all."

The baby banged its tail on the wall, making the windows rattle. Harry and I walked back to the castle feeling Saturday couldn't come quickly enough.

"G'night, Harry." I say yawing as we walk into the common room. He looks over and smiles, "Night, 'Mione." and with that I went left to the girls first year dormitory, and he went right.

That night I dreamed about Harry and I again... This might actually be a problem...

 _Harry and I are walking around in a forest, alone. we finally reach a clear area and I start to put up protection spells all around us while Harry puts up a wizard tent. Once finished, we go inside and I lay down on the floor and just stare into space. "Hey, Hermione, you want any mustard?" Harry calls from what I presume to be the kitchen? I don't answer, I just stay where I am. Not even blinking, until I shed a tear and it lands on my nose._

 _"'Mione?" Harry calls again and this time he comes out from the kitchen, sandwich in one hand, mustard in the other, looking concerned. I glance at him and the sandwich before I burst into tears. He drops the mustard, and places the sandwich on an endtable, then rushes over to me._

 _He lays down directly infront of me, but I keep peering over his head as I cry._

 _"Hey, hey~" he says in a soothing tone, "It's okay, I am sure he'll come back soon enough... Hey, look at me. Hermione, look at me," I finally tear my eyes away from the tent wall and look at Harry. He is a little blurry-but that's because I'm crying-but he is still Harry, glasses, scar, messy hair, brilliant green eyes..._

 _He smiles sadly at me before pulling me into a warm embrace as I_ _cry into his shirt. we just lay there, silent for a moment, before I calm down enough to speak. "I just wish he didn't have to find out like that, you know?" I say a little muffled by harry's chest. He nods silently, and I feel his chin gently hitting my head. "Let's get some food in your stomach," He says and I feel the vibrations in his chest shake my body. he then gets up and helps me up too._

 _The dream changes, and Harry looks a bit younger, and he looks terrified. "You don't have to do this, Hermione..." he whispers, and I feel myself cry-why am I always fucking crying in these dreams?-"No, Harry I do..." He looks at me curiously before he hugs me "Please, don't. Don't go, do this for me Hermione, and don't go through with this..." I sigh "you and I both know I have to, Harry." just then, my name is called and I walk out and into the roars of the crowd._

 _Dream changes again and I am holding a baby boy with a snitch in his hand, "You see this, James?" I say pointing to the snitch, "That was the very first snitch your father ever caught... Now it's yours, yes it is, yes it is~" I coo and the baby squirms laughing as I tickle his fat belly._

 _I look up when I hear a chuckle from the doorway to see Harry standing there smiling at the two of us, he's got one little girl on his leg and the other was climbing up onto his shoulders._

 _"Welcome home, jerk."_

 _"Good to be home, Know it all." he laughs and then chases the girls around the house._

 _Screams of pure joy and innocence could be heard throughout the whole house that night._

 _but then-_

 _"GIVE ME THAT BABY, OR I SWEAR WITH GOD AS MY WITNESS, I WILL BLOW THIS FUCKING HOUSE DOWN!"_

I wake with a jolt. what the heck was that dream all about?

 **Uh.**

 **duh.**

 **Hello.**

 **It was about Harry.**

 **I mean the whole thing was about you and harry, Hermione**.

Shut up brain, that's not what I meant.

 **Sure it wasn't.**

 **Sure it was not~**

I roll my eyes and turn over in my bed.

I pull the sheets over my head and slowly drift off into a deep sleep... I dreamt about tacos and flying Narwhals.

Narwhals are slowly becoming my favorite obsession and animal...

* * *

AN:

Okay so I wanted to give you guys a heads up that I **might not** update again tomorrow or the day after that, I am babysitting my niece, while my sis Harmony is gone on a work thing in Paris... Yeah, I am so freaking jelly. I might update, but probs not sense I will have meh hands full as shit with that little hellion. C;

Have a great night(Or day or whatever, depends on when you're reading dis shit) everyone, and I will see you in chapter 11(We are almost done with dis fanfic o.o)

oh and sorry the chapters have been getting shorter, but you guys demanded-Nicely-another chapter, so and I can't say no to you guys... So yeah, here it is cx

~Luna


	11. Chapter 11

AN:

What's up guys? So I decided to make another chapter because I won't update again this week.. So, this might be longer than usual. Here's why: A family-friend died of cancer recently and I am leaving with my sister, mother, niece, and the twins(My dad works) for four days... The Funeral is on Sunday but we are stopping to see some cousins we never see because they live far away from where we live, (Like ten hours).

So yeah, this is the last update until next week... Sorry.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, unless, do you think J.K Rowling would let me have custity over Luna? Sense techniaclly I _am_ Luna? Oh well, they all belong to J.K Rowling.. :c

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Finally, Saturday came and Harry and I were so relived that this whole mess would soon be over.

we went down to Hagrid's hut and we would have felt sorry for Hagrid when the time came for him to say good-bye to Norbert if we hadn't been so worried about what we had to do. It was a very dark, cloudy night, and Harry and I were a bit late arriving at Hagrid's hut because we'd had to wait for Peeves to get out of their way in the entrance hall, where he'd been playing tennis against the wall. Hagrid had Norbert packed and ready in a large crate.

"He's got lots o' rats an' some brandy fer the journey," said Hagrid in a muffled voice. "An' I've packed his teddy bear in case he gets lonely."

From inside the crate came ripping noises that sounded as though the teddy was having his head torn off. poor thing.

"Bye-bye, Norbert!" Hagrid sobbed, as Harry and I covered the crate with the invisibility cloak and stepped underneath it themselves. "Mommy will never forget you!"

How we managed to get the crate back up to the castle, I never knew. Midnight ticked nearer as they heaved Norbert up the marble staircase in the entrance hall and along the dark corridors. Up another staircase, then another - even one of Harry's shortcuts didn't make the work much easier. Which was a shame, because I really needed to drop this beast off and study for a test on Monday...

"Nearly there!" Harry panted as we finally reached the corridor beneath the tallest tower.

Then a sudden movement ahead of them made them almost drop the crate. Forgetting that they were already invisible, they shrank into the shadows, staring at the dark outlines of two people grappling with each other ten feet away. A lamp flared.

Professor McGonagall, in a tartan bathrobe and a hair net, had Malfoy by the ear.

"Detention!" she shouted. "And twenty points from Slytherin! Wandering around in the middle of the night, how dare you-"

"You don't understand, Professor. Harry Potter's coming - he's got a dragon!"

"What utter rubbish! How dare you tell such lies! Come on - I shall see Professor Snape about you, Malfoy!"

The steep spiral staircase up to the top of the tower seemed the easiest thing in the world after that. Not until they'd stepped out into the cold night air did they throw off the cloak, glad to be able to breathe properly again. I did a sort of jig that I am sure looked horrid, but I didn't care.

"Malfoy's got detention! I could sing!"

"Don't," Harry advised me and I smacked his arm while glaring.

Chuckling about Malfoy, we waited, Norbert thrashing about in his crate. About ten minutes later, four broomsticks came swooping down out of the darkness.

Charlie's friends were a very cheery lot. They showed Harry and I the harness they'd rigged up, so they could suspend Norbert between them. They all helped buckle Norbert safely into it and then Harry and I shook hands with the others and thanked them very much. I caressed my hand because one had squeezed a bit too hard. But he was cute, so I guess it was okay.

At last, Norbert was going... going... gone.

They slipped back down the spiral staircase, their hearts as light as their hands, now that Norbert was off them. No more dragon - Malfoy in detention - what could spoil their happiness?

The answer to that was waiting at the foot of the stairs. As they stepped into the corridor, Filch's face loomed suddenly out of the darkness.

"Well, well, well," he whispered, "we are in trouble."

 _Uh no._

 _Harry and I are in trouble. You are just fine, thank you very much._

I think with a disgusted face as I walk with Harry down the steps and straight to Professor McGonagall.

we'd left the invisibility cloak on top of the tower. Like a bunch of idiots.

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Things couldn't have been worse.  
Filch took us down to Professor McGonagall's study on the first floor, where they sat and waited without saying a word to each other. I was trembling and I was sure Harry could tell... Excuses, alibis, and wild cover-up stories ran around and around in my head. I looked over at Harry, who was staring straight at the desk in front us. I really couldn't see how we were going to get out of trouble this time. I wasn't going to take the blame for Harry this time. Not by myself again...we were cornered.

How could we have been so stupid as to forget the cloak? There was no reason on earth that Professor McGonagall would accept for their being out of bed and creeping around the school in the dead of night, let alone being up the tallest astronomy tower, which was out-of-bounds except for classes. Add Norbert and the invisibility cloak, and they might as well be packing their bags already.

I thought that things couldn't have been worse? I was wrong. When Professor McGonagall appeared, she was leading Neville.

"Hermione!" Neville burst out, the moment he saw us two. "I was trying to find you to warn you, I heard Malfoy saying he was going to catch you, he said you had a drag-"

Harry shook his head violently to shut Neville up, and I sighed and looked over sadly at Neville, but Professor McGonagall had seen. She looked more likely to breathe fire than Norbert as she towered over the three of them.

"I would never have believed it of any of you. Mr. Filch says you were up in the astronomy tower. It's one o'clock in the morning. Explain yourselves."

It was the first time I had ever failed to answer a teacher's question. I was staring at my slippers in shame, as still as a statue.

"I think I've got a good idea of what's been going on," said Professor McGonagall. "It doesn't take a genius to work it out. You fed Draco Malfoy some cock-and-bull story about a dragon, trying to get him out of bed and into trouble. I've already caught him. I suppose you think it's funny that Longbottom here heard the story and believed it, too?" I look up shocked, eyes wide as I caught Neville's eye and tried to tell him without words that this wasn't true, because Neville was looking stunned and hurt. Poor, Neville - I knew what it must have cost him to try and find them in the dark, to warn them.

"I'm disgusted," said Professor McGonagall. "Four students out of bed in one night! I've never heard of such a thing before! You, Miss Granger, I thought you had more sense. As for you, Mr. Potter, I thought Gryffindor meant more to you than this. All three of you will receive detentions - yes, you too, Mr. Longbottom, nothing gives you the right to walk around school at night, especially these days, it's very dangerous - and fifty points will be taken from Gryffindor."

"Fifty ?" Harry gasped - now they would lose the lead, the lead he'd won in the last Quidditch match.

"Fifty points each," said Professor McGonagall, breathing heavily through her long, pointed nose.

"Professor - please-" I start, averting my eyes from Neville.

"You can't-"

"Don't tell me what I can and can't do, Potter. Now get back to bed, all of you. I've never been more ashamed of Gryffindor students."

A hundred and fifty points lost. That put Gryffindor in last place. In one night, they'd ruined any chance Gryffindor had had for the house cup. Harry felt as though the bottom had dropped out of his stomach. How could they ever make up for this?

I didn't sleep all night. I could practically hear Neville sobbing into his pillow for what seemed like hours. I knew Neville, sense he is one of my closest friends, was dreading the dawn just as I am. What would happen when the rest of Gryffindor found out what we'd done? God the shame..

At first, Gryffindors passing the giant hourglasses that recorded the house points the next day thought there'd been a mistake. How could they suddenly have a hundred and fifty points fewer than yesterday? And then the story started to spread: Harry Potter, the famous Harry Potter, their hero of two Quidditch matches, had lost them all those points, him and a couple of other stupid first years. Yup. That's all I was, a _stupid_ first year.

From being one of the most popular and admired people at the school, Harry was suddenly the most hated. Even Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs turned on him, because everyone had been longing to see Slytherin lose the house cup. I was hurting with him, and wanted to comfort him, but I didn't know how... I felt everywhere Harry and I went, people pointed and didn't trouble to lower their voices as they insulted him. Slytherins, on the other hand, clapped as he walked past them, whistling and cheering, "Thanks Potter, we owe you one!"

Only Ron stood by him... for awhile even I stayed away from my two best friends and stuck with Lavender, who was the only one who believed me.

"They'll all forget this in a few weeks. Fred and George have lost loads of points in all the time they've been here, and people still like them." Ron said as I walked behind them with, Lavender

"They've never lost a hundred and fifty points in one go, though, have they?" said Harry miserably.

I looked down at my feet, and Lavender put her hand on my back, leaning down and smiling at me.

"Well - no," Ron admitted.

It was a bit late to repair the damage, but I swore to himself not to meddle in things that weren't my business from now on. I'd had it with sneaking around and spying. I was so ashamed of myself, but it turned out so was Harry. In fact, he was so ashame that he went to Wood and offered to resign from the Quidditch team.

("Resign ? What good'll that do? How are we going to get any points back if we can't win at Quidditch?")

But even Quidditch had lost its fun.I rarley went to see the matches, because the rest of the team wouldn't speak to Harry during practice, and if they had to speak about him, they called him "the Seeker." It was the same during games, and I hated the fact that if we had just made Hagrid send Norbert with Charlie's friends, Harry and I wouldn't be shunned. Hagrid wouldn't either because he is allowed to roam Hogwarts late at night...

I had stopped drawing any attention to myself in class, I kept my head down and worked in silence.

No one called on me and I was always paired up last.

And Neville was suffering, too. he didn't have as bad a time as Harry, because he wasn't as well-known, but nobody would speak to him, either.  
I was just glad that the exams weren't far away. All the studying he had to do kept my mind off my misery... I even eventually started to talk to Ron and Harry. I also soon started to help them study. Harry, Ron, and I kept to ourselves, working late into the night, trying to remember the ingredients in complicated potions, learn charms and spells by heart, memorize the dates of magical discoveries and goblin rebellions... Oh that was like a tall glass of ice water in the burning hell that Hogwarts has become.  
Then about a week later, Harry told us something interesting...

"No - no - not again, please-" Harry mimicked Quirrel's voice and I held back the urge to smack him.

"It sounded as though someone was threatening him." Harry commentated,

"All right - all right - " he continued and even tried to do Quirrell's sob.

Ron sniggered and I hit him, leanig closer to the edge of my seat.

"Next second, Quirrell came hurrying out of the classroom straightening his turban. He was pale and looked as though he was about to cry. He strode out of sight; I didn't think Quirrell had even noticed me.. I even waited until Quirrell's footsteps had disappeared, then peered into the classroom. It was empty, but a door stood ajar at the other end. I was halfway toward it before I remembered what I'd promised myself about not meddling." he finished and I dropped my book, "You made that promise too?" I say as I reach down to pick up the book. harry nodded.

All the same, I would have gambled twelve Sorcerer's Stones that Snape had just left the room, and from what Harry had just told Ron and I, Snape would be walking with a new spring in his step - Quirrell seemed to have given in at last.

"Snape's done it, then!" said Ron ignoring what I had asked Harry, "If Quirrell's told him how to break his Anti-Dark Force spell-"

"There's still Fluffy, though," I said, trying to be hopeful..

"Maybe Snape's found out how to get past him without asking Hagrid," said Ron, looking up at the thousands of books surrounding them. "I bet there's a book somewhere in here telling you how to get past a giant three-headed dog. So what do we do, Harry?"

The light of adventure was kindling again in Ron's eyes, but I answered before Harry could.

"Go to Dumbledore. That's what we should have done ages ago. If we try anything ourselves we'll be thrown out for sure."

"But we've got no proof!" said Harry. "Quirrell's too scared to back us up. Snape's only got to say he doesn't know how the troll got in at Halloween and that he was nowhere near the third floor - who do you think they'll believe, him or us? It's not exactly a secret we hate him, Dumbledore'll think we made it up to get him sacked. Filch wouldn't help us if his life depended on it, he's too friendly with Snape, and the more students get thrown out, the better, he'll think. And don't forget, we're not supposed to know about the Stone or Fluffy. That'll take a lot of explaining."

I was convinced, but Ron didn't look like he was.

"If we just do a bit of poking around-"

"No," said Harry and I flatly, "we've done enough poking around."

Harry then pulled a map of Jupiter toward him and started to learn the names of its moons.

The following morning, notes were delivered to Harry, Neville and I at the breakfast table. They were all the same:

 _Your detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight._

 _Meet Mr. Filch in the entrance hall._

 _Professor McGonagall_

I had forgotten they still had detentions to do in the furor over the points they'd lost. I half expected Harry to complain that this was a whole night of studying lost, but he didn't say a word. Like me, he felt they deserved what they'd got.

At eleven o'clock that night, we said good-bye to Ron in the common room and went down to the entrance hall with Neville. Filch was already there - and so was Malfoy. Harry had also forgotten that Malfoy had gotten a detention, too.

"Follow me," said Filch, lighting a lamp and leading them outside.

"I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh?" he said, leering at them. "Oh yes... hard work and pain are the best teachers if you ask me... It's just a pity they let the old punishments die out... hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days, I've got the chains still in my office, keep 'em well oiled in case they're ever needed... Right, off we go, and don't think of running off, now, it'll be worse for you if you do."

They marched off across the dark grounds. Neville kept sniffing. I put a hand on his arm and he looked up, thankful, I also wondered what our punishment was going to be. It must be something really horrible, or Filch wouldn't be sounding so delighted.

The moon was bright, but clouds scudding across it kept throwing them into darkness. Ahead, I could see the lighted windows of Hagrid's hut. Then they heard a distant shout.

"Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started."

my heart rose; if they were going to be working with Hagrid it wouldn't be so bad. My relief must have showed in my face because Filch said, "I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself with that oaf? Well, think again, lady- it's into the forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece."

At this, Neville let out a little moan, and Malfoy stopped dead in his tracks.

"The forest?" he repeated, and he didn't sound quite as cool as usual. "We can't go in there at night - there's all sorts of things in there - werewolves, I heard."

Neville clutched the sleeve of my robe and made a choking noise.

"That's your problem, isn't it?" said Filch, his voice cracking with glee. "Should've thought of them werewolves before you got in trouble, shouldn't you?"

Hagrid came striding toward them out of the dark, Fang at his heel. He was carrying his large crossbow, and a quiver of arrows hung over his shoulder.

"Abou' time," he said. "I bin waitin' fer half an hour already. All right, Harry, Hermione?"

"I shouldn't be too friendly to them, Hagrid," said Filch coldly, they're here to be punished, after all."

"That's why yer late, is it?" said Hagrid, frowning at Filch. "Bin lecturin' them, eh? 'Snot your place ter do that. Yeh've done yer bit, I'll take over from here."

"I'll be back at dawn," said Filch, "for what's left of them," he added nastily, and he turned and started back toward the castle, his lamp bobbing away in the darkness.

Malfoy now turned to Hagrid.

"I'm not going in that forest," he said, and I was evilly pleased to hear the note of panic in his voice.

"Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts," said Hagrid fiercely. "Yeh've done wrong an' now yeh've got ter pay fer it."

"But this is servant stuff, it's not for students to do. I thought we'd be copying lines or something, if my father knew I was doing this, he'd-"

"- tell yer that's how it is at Hogwarts," Hagrid growled. "Copyin' lines! What good's that ter anyone? Yeh'll do summat useful or yeh'll get out. If yeh think yer father'd rather you were expelled, then get back off ter the castle an' pack. Go on."

Malfoy didn't move. He looked at Hagrid furiously, but then dropped his gaze.

"Right then," said Hagrid, "now, listen carefully, 'cause it's dangerous what we're gonna do tonight, an' I don' want no one takin' risks. Follow me over here a moment."

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He led us to the very edge of the forest. Holding his lamp up high, he pointed down a narrow, winding earth track that disappeared into the thick black trees. A light breeze lifted their hair as they looked into the forest.

"Look there," said Hagrid, "see that stuff shinin' on the ground? Silvery stuff? That's unicorn blood. There's a unicorn in there bin hurt badly by summat. This is the second time in a week. I found one dead last Wednesday. We're gonna try an' find the poor thing. We might have ter put it out of its misery."

"And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?" said Malfoy, unable to keep the fear out of his voice.

"There's nothin' that lives in the forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang," said Hagrid. "An' keep ter the path. Right, now, we're gonna split inter two parties an' follow the trail in diff'rent directions. There's blood all over the place, it must've bin staggerin' around since last night at least."

"I want Fang," said Malfoy quickly, looking at Fang's long teeth.

"All right, but I warn yeh, he's a coward," said Hagrid. "So me, Harry, an' Hermione'll go one way an' Draco, Neville, an' Fang'll go the other. Now, if any of us finds the unicorn, we'll send up green sparks, right? Get yer wands out an' practice now - that's it - an' if anyone gets in trouble, send up red sparks, an' we'll all come an' find yeh - so, be careful - let's go."

The forest was black and silent. A little way into it they reached a fork in the earth path, and Harry, Hermione, and Hagrid took the left path while Malfoy, Neville, and Fang took the right.

They walked in silence, their eyes on the ground. Every now and then a ray of moonlight through the branches above lit a spot of silver-blue blood on the fallen leaves.

I saw that Hagrid looked very worried. and apparently Harry also caught the look.

"Could a werewolf be killing the unicorns?" Harry asked.

"Not fast enough," said Hagrid. "It's not easy ter catch a unicorn, they're powerful magic creatures. I never knew one ter be hurt before."

They walked past a mossy tree stump. Harry could hear running water; there must be a stream somewhere close by. There were still spots of unicorn blood here and there along the winding path.

"You all right, Hermione?" Hagrid whispered. "Don' worry, it can't've gone far if it's this badly hurt, an' then we'll be able ter - GET BEHIND THAT TREE!"

Hagrid seized Harry and Hermione and hoisted them off the path behind a towering oak. He pulled out an arrow and fitted it into his crossbow, raising it, ready to fire. The three of us listened. Something was slithering over dead leaves nearby: it sounded like a cloak trailing along the ground. Hagrid was squinting up the dark path, but after a few seconds, the sound faded away.

"I knew it," he murmured. "There's summat in here that shouldn' be."

"A werewolf?" Harry suggested. I was clinging onto harry's hand, without knowing I was doing so, but he didn't seem to mind.

"That wasn' no werewolf an' it wasn' no unicorn, neither," said Hagrid grimly. "Right, follow me, but careful, now."

we tried walked more slowly, ears straining for the faintest sound. Suddenly, in a clearing ahead, something definitely moved.

"Who's there?" Hagrid called. "Show yerself - I'm armed!"

And into the clearing came - was it a man, or a horse? To the waist, a man, with red hair and beard, but below that was a horse's gleaming chestnut body with a long, reddish tail. Harry and Hermione's jaws dropped.

"Oh, it's you, Ronan," said Hagrid in relief. "How are yeh?"

He walked forward and shook the centaur's hand.

"Good evening to you, Hagrid," said Ronan. He had a deep, sorrowful voice. "Were you going to shoot me?"

"Can't be too careful, Ronan," said Hagrid, patting his crossbow. "There's summat bad loose in this forest. This is Harry Potter an' Hermione Granger, by the way. Students up at the school. An' this is Ronan, you two. He's a centaur.

"We'd noticed," I said faintly, and Harry smirked down at me before regaining a straight face.

"Good evening," said Ronan. "Students, are you? And do you learn much, up at the school?"

"Erm-"

"A bit," I say timidly.

"A bit. Well, that's something." Ronan sighed. He flung back his head and stared at the sky. "Mars is bright tonight."

"Yeah," said Hagrid, glancing up, too. "Listen, I'm glad we've run inter yeh, Ronan, 'cause there's a unicorn bin hurt - you seen anythin'?"

Ronan didn't answer immediately. He stared unblinkingly upward, then sighed again.

"Always the innocent are the first victims," he said. "So it has been for ages past, so it is now."

"Yeah," said Hagrid, "but have yeh seen anythin' Ronan? Anythin' unusual?"

"Mars is bright tonight," Ronan repeated, while Hagrid watched him impatiently. "Unusually bright."

"Yeah, but I was meanin' anythin' unusual a bit nearer home," said Hagrid. "So yeh haven't noticed anythin' strange?"

Yet again, Ronan took a while to answer. At last, he said, "The forest hides many secrets."

A movement in the trees behind Ronan made Hagrid raise his bow again, but it was only a second centaur, black-haired and -bodied and wilder-looking than Ronan.

"Hullo, Bane," said Hagrid. "All right?"

"Good evening, Hagrid, I hope you are well?"

"Well enough. Look, I've jus' bin askin' Ronan, you seen anythin' odd in here lately? There's a unicorn bin injured - would yeh know anythin' about it?"

Bane walked over to stand next to Ronan. He looked skyward. "Mars is bright tonight," he said simply.

" So we've heard," said Hagrid grumpily. "Well, if either of you do see anythin', let me know, won't yeh? We'll be off, then."

Harry and I followed him out of the clearing, staring over our shoulders at Ronan and Bane until the trees blocked their view.

"Never," said Hagrid irritably, "try an' get a straight answer out of a centaur. Ruddy stargazers. Not interested in anythin' closer'n the moon."

"Are there many of them in here?" I ask quietly.

"Oh, a fair few... Keep themselves to themselves mostly, but they're good enough about turnin' up if ever I want a word. They're deep, mind, centaurs... they know things... jus' don' let on much."

"D'you think that was a centaur we heard earlier?" said Harry.

"Did that sound like hooves to you? Nah, if yeh ask me, that was what's bin killin' the unicorns - never heard anythin' like it before."

we walked on through the dense, dark trees. Harry kept looking nervously over his shoulder and I was still clinging onto his hand.I had the nasty feeling we were being watched. I was ever so very glad we had Hagrid and his crossbow with them. we had just passed a bend in the path when I grabbed Hagrid's arm, still holding onto Harry.

"Hagrid! Look! Red sparks, the others are in trouble!"

"You two wait here!" Hagrid shouted. "Stay on the path, I'll come back for yeh!"

we could\ heard him crashing away through the undergrowth and stood looking at each other, very scared, until we couldn't hear anything but the rustling of leaves around us.

"You don't think they've been hurt, do you?" I whispered looking around us nervously.

"I don't care if Malfoy has, but if something's got Neville... it's our fault he's here in the first place." Harry says and I sigh.

The minutes dragged by. our ears seemed sharper than usual. mine seemed to be picking up every sigh of the wind, every cracking twig. What was going on? Where were the others?

At last, a great crunching noise announced Hagrid's return. Malfoy, Neville, and Fang were with him. Hagrid was fuming. Malfoy, it seemed, had sneaked up behind Neville and grabbed him as a joke. Neville had panicked and sent up the sparks.

"We'll be lucky ter catch anythin' now, with the racket you two were makin'. Right, we're changin' groups - Neville, you stay with me an' Hermione, Harry, you go with Fang an' this idiot...I'm sorry," Hagrid added in a whisper to Harry, "but he'll have a harder time frightenin' you, an' we've gotta get this done."

So Harry set off into the heart of the forest with Malfoy and Fang. Hagrid, Neville and I walked for nearly half an hour, deeper and deeper into the forest, until the path became almost impossible to follow because the trees were so thick. But then as I opened my mouth to ask where we were headed, Hagrid stopped dead. I ran into his back and Neville cowered next to Fang.

I stare around us cautiously and then I was flying through the air, screaming, "Hermione!" Hagrid and Neville both yell as they get smaller and smaller. I panic as I fly across the sky and land right in a tree, but I had just enough time to see that fang had bumped into a centaur and that the centaur most likely was the thing that sent me flying...

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There were splashes on the roots of the tree, as though the poor creature had been thrashing around in pain close by. I looked around, and could feel my grip on the branch loosen-damn sweaty palms!- Then I could see Harry through the tangled branches of the ancient oak.

"Look - " he murmured, holding out his arm to stop Malfoy.

"Harr-YYYYYAAAAAAAAH" I say, but then I fall down and land right in fornt of Draco, who looked like he was about to faint. Fang rushed over and started to lick my face. I gently push him away and look over at my friend.

Harry looked down at me shocked and then seemingly regaining his sense, offered me a hand. I wince a severe pain in my leg, "What are you doing here?" He asks and I tell him about how I was thrown across the sky and right into this oak. Harry nods and as I gently rub my leg and try to walk it off, we-Malfoy, Harry and I-start heading towards a clearing. I was in between Malfoy and Harry with fang in front of us.

Something bright white was gleaming on the ground. we all inched closer.

It was the unicorn all right, and it was dead. I had never seen anything so beautiful and sad. Its long, slender legs were stuck out at odd angles where it had fallen and its mane was spread pearly-white on the dark leaves.

Harry had taken one step toward it when something made him freeze where he stood. I looked around us, and then I heard it... the slithering sound like from before... I looked right of us when- a bush on the edge of the clearing quivered... I grabbed hold of Harry's hand, clinging on for dear life, horrified. Then, out of the shadows, a hooded figure came crawling across the ground like some stalking beast. Harry, Malfoy Fang, and I stood transfixed. The cloaked figure reached the unicorn, lowered its head over the wound in the animal's side, and began to drink its blood.

"AAAAAAAAAARGH!"

Malfoy let out a terrible scream and bolted - so did Fang. The hooded figure raised its head and looked right at Harry and I - unicorn blood was dribbling down its front. It got to its feet and came swiftly toward us - I couldn't move for fear, and neither could Harry.

Then Harry let out a sharp wince, he staggered backward and I placed a hand on his back to keep him from falling over. I heard hooves behind us, galloping, and something jumped clean over Harry and I, charging at the figure.

Harry squinted over at the scene before him, then let out another small pain filled cry and then he fell to his knees. It took a minute or two for his pain-or whatever it was-to pass. When he looked up, the figure had gone. A centaur was standing over us, not Ronan or Bane; this one looked younger; he had white-blond hair and a palomino body.

"Are you all right?" said the centaur, pulling Harry and I to our feet

"Yes - thank you - what was that?" I said for Harry, sense he was just hugging my side and shaking. I was scared too, but I tried to act strong for him. I aslo tried to forget the throbbing in my leg from when I fell out of the tree.

The centaur didn't answer. He had astonishingly blue eyes, like pale sapphires. He looked carefully at Harry and I, his eyes lingering on the scar that stood out, livid, on Harry's forehead. Then on my leg.

"You are the Potter boy," he said. "You had better get back to Hagrid. The forest is not safe at this time - especially for you. You-lady- you're hurt, can you ride? It will be quicker this way." He doesn't wait for a reply, and simply lowered himself on his front legs so Harry and I could clamber on his back.

"My name is Firenze," he added, but then There was suddenly a sound of more galloping from the other side of the clearing. Ronan and Bane came bursting through the trees, their flanks heaving and sweaty.

"Firenze!" Bane thundered. "What are you doing? You have a human on your back! Have you no shame? Are you a common mule?"

"Do you realize who this is?" said Firenze. "This is the Potter boy and his companion... The quicker they leaves this forest, the better."

"What have you been telling him?" growled Bane. "Remember, Firenze, we are sworn not to set ourselves against the heavens. Have we not read what is to come in the movements of the planets?"

Ronan pawed the ground nervously. "I'm sure Firenze thought he was acting for the best," he said in his gloomy voice.

Bane kicked his back legs in anger.

"For the best! What is that to do with us? Centaurs are concerned with what has been foretold! It is not our business to run around like donkeys after stray humans in our forest!"

Firenze suddenly reared on to his hind legs in anger, so that I had to grab Harry's waist to stay on.

"Do you not see that unicorn?" Firenze bellowed at Bane. "Do you not understand why it was killed? Or have the planets not let you in on that secret? I set myself against what is lurking in this forest, Bane, yes, with humans alongside me if I must."

And Firenze whisked around; with Harry clutching on as best he could and me clutching on Harry's waist, we plunged off into the trees, leaving Ronan and Bane behind them.

I quite frankly, didn't have a clue what was going on.

"Why's Bane so angry?" I asked. "What was that thing you saved me from, anyway?"

Firenze slowed to a walk, warned Harry and I to keep his head bowed in case of low-hanging branches, but did not answer my question. we made our way through the trees in silence for so long that I thought Firenze didn't want to talk to him anymore. They were passing through a particularly dense patch of trees, however, when Firenze suddenly stopped.

"Harry Potter, do you know what unicorn blood is used for?"

"No," said Harry.. I was startled by the odd question, and it looked like harry was too,"We've only used the horn and tail hair in Potions."

"That is because it is a monstrous thing, to slay a unicorn," said Firenze. "Only one who has nothing to lose, and everything to gain, would commit such a crime. The blood of a unicorn will keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price. You have slain something pure and defenseless to save yourself, and you will have but a half-life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips."

I stared off in the forest, making sure that the hooded figure was not lurking behind us, wanting to sneak attack and murder us... So I was only half listening to what they were saying.

"But who'd be that desperate?" harry wondered aloud. "If you're going to be cursed forever, death's better, isn't it?"

"It is," Firenze agreed, "unless all you need is to stay alive long enough to drink something else - something that will bring you back to full strength and power - something that will mean you can never die. Mr. Potter, do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment?"

"The Sorcerer's Stone! Of course - the Elixir of Life! But I don't understand who-"

"Can you think of nobody who has waited many years to return to power, who has clung to life, awaiting their chance?"

It was as though an iron fist had clenched suddenly around my heart. Over the rustling of the trees, I could still hear Harry's breathing, and it soothed me just a bit.

"Do you mean," Harry croaked, "that was Vol-"

I tense up around his waist, and was about to cry "NO HARRY, DON'T SAY IT!" when-

"Hermione! Harry, are you all right?"

Neville was running toward us down the path, Hagrid puffing along behind him.

"I'm fine," said Harry, and I mumbled something similar,"The unicorn's dead, Hagrid, it's in that clearing back there."

"This is where I leave you," Firenze murmured as Hagrid hurried off to examine the unicorn, "You are safe now."

Harry and I slid off his back.

"Good luck, Harry Potter, Harry Potter's companion," said Firenze. "The planets have been read wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of those times."

He turned and cantered back into the depths of the forest, leaving Harry and I shivering behind him.

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Ron had fallen asleep in the dark common room, waiting for them to return. He shouted something about Quidditch fouls when Harry roughly shook him awake. In a matter of seconds, though, he was wide-eyed as Harry and I began to tell him what had happened in the forest.

Harry couldn't sit down. He paced up and down in front of the fire. He was still shaking, and I was trembling in my seat next to the fire.

"Snape wants the stone for Voldemort... and Voldemort's waiting in the forest... and all this time we thought Snape just wanted to get rich..."

"Stop saying the name!" said Ron in a terrified whisper, as if he thought Voldemort could hear them.

Harry wasn't listening.

"Firenze saved me, but he shouldn't have done so... Bane was furious... he was talking about interfering with what the planets say is going to happen... They must show that Voldemort's coming back... Bane thinks Firenze should have let Voldemort kill me... I suppose that's written in the stars as well."

"Will you stop saying the name!" Ron hissed.

"So all I've got to wait for now is Snape to steal the Stone," Harry went on feverishly, "then Voldemort will be able to come and finish me off... Well, I suppose Bane'll be happy."

I was still very frightened, but I had to try to comfort them both.

"Harry, everyone says Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was ever afraid of with Dumbledore around, You-Know-Who won't touch you. Anyway, who says the centaurs are right? It sounds like fortune-telling to me, and Professor McGonagall says that's a very imprecise branch of magic."

The sky had turned light before we had even stopped talking. we all went to bed exhausted, our throats sore. But the night's surprises weren't over.  
When I pulled back my sheets, I found another note, same as before taped to Nomy;

 _"I warned you, I told you that you would get hurt if you stayed with H.P... But now your fate is set in stone, and you have something much more severe than a head trauma or a sprained leg to look forward to in the future..."_

I look around horrified as to who it is that is sending me these notes, but as a huge wave of exhaustion hits, I shove the note out of my mind and into my bed stand drawer as I fall on my pillow and into a deep slumber.

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Okay g'night Lovelies, and have a nice weekend! i will try and see you sometime after Tuesday... But no promises. :3

~Luna


	12. Chapter 12

HEEEEEYYYYYY MY LOVELIES! Soo excited to finally be back here, and yeah. :P

Also I am so fucking sorry for going all MIA on your asses, I was busy with life... So today Iwas all like I wanted to post another chappie for your lovely faces :D

Anyways on with the story stuff~~~

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When I wake up the following morning, I am pleased to see that I am alone in my dormitory...

Wait.

Hold up.

Hold the freaking phone people.

I.

am.

 _Alone_.

As in everyone else in gone and when I grab my watch from off the table, I see it's nearly noon.

Holy hecky I really overslept this time.

I rush into the bathroom and look in the mirror, there are dark circles under my baggy eyes and I am pale from the events the night before. My leg/ankle is still hurting, but the throbbing went down overnight.

I put a glamour spell on my face to conceal the... sorta hungover look, then I just quickly brush my hair as best as I can and rush out to get changed out of my nightgown and into a tank with some rolled-up-jeans or whatever they are called. I quickly slip on my white sandals and wobble/run out the door and out into the common room where harry and Ron are playing chess.

I sigh and walk over to them and notice that Harry looks about the same as I do.. Or did-glamour spell, remember?-.

"Hey," I say as I flop down on an armchair lazily and watch them play.

"Hey," They both say and Ron glances up before looking down again and stealing away Harry's queen. "Ron, go easy on him, he is only just a-well-uh advanced beginner.. Yeah, that sounded okay, he is only an advanced beginner so be nice." Harry looks over at me blushing furiously as Ron sniggers at him.

"Really, Hermione?"

"What?" I ask innocently as I spread my body out like one of those bear rugs, and look down on the floor, my face resting on the armrest.

" _Advanced beginner_?" harry says still bright red.

"Yeah, so? I am a beginning advanced-or whatever..." I say looking away trying to hide my small smile; which wasn't hard sense Ron doubled over in laughter and that caught Harry's attention more than I did.

"Honestly, Ron, it's not that funny-You would think you'd have a more intellectual/humorous side of the brain at this age."\

Ron looks up with a confused look, "Oh yeah? If you're so intellectually humorous, then why not give it a go?"

"Fine," I huff and think quickly for one of my famous jokes that will really knock their socks off, "okay, I've got one, ready? good-so a cactus walks into a ba- I mean restaurant and sits down at a booth with another cactus, a cucumber, and a pickle." I start already cracking up, Ron and Harry share a look, "The pickle says 'Oh! well if it ins't my two favorite cactuses!' then the pickle says, "That's "cacti"', then the two cacti say, 'THAT'S RACIST!'" I nearly fall off the chair I was in fits of laughter, but when I looked up wiping off a tear, I see Ron and Harry looking at me like I'm mad, "What?"

"It's just the joke-" Harry starts,

"-I don't quite get it.." Ron finishes looking very confused.

"Really? Well then I guess you two haven't matured as much as I thought you had-Shame." I say and get back into a sitting position and tenderly touching my purple ankle.

Harry blushed harder and turned back around to face the board, because it was his turn. "Whatever."

He points to a spot on the chess board and was about to order a piece when I interrupted him-which was a bit rude, but still- and offered... Well kinda forced? My help onto him. "You won't want to put that solider there, he will be demolished, instead place him there and you might be able to salvage what little hope you have left." I say in my superior voice.

Gosh I do love telling people what to do.

Ron rolls around laughing again-Oh honestly, will he ever learn?- and I look down at Harry innocently as he glares up at me bright red.

"Fine, don't take my advice. I'm leaving anyways, I am feeling a bit peckish." I say and then head out the door.

"Good afternoon," I say to the fat lady as I slip out from behind her painting, "Oh hello , I thought you were ill sense I didn't see you leave this morning." She says as she picks at some grapes.

"Oh yeah, I was feeling a bit off, so I decided to sleep in today..." I say feeling a slight blush appear on my cheeks. "Oh that makes sense. Have a nice lunch dear, see you later~" she coos and then proceeds to stuff a handful of grabs in her mouth.

"You too," I mutter as I hop onto the moving staircase.

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At the Great Hall, I sat down with Fred and George who were cracking jokes and praising me for getting into trouble.

"Of course Gred and I would have slipped away uncaught-" George says as he stuffs a deviled egg in his mouth, " and Foerge wouldn't be so upset about it...But it was very unexpected and wicked-" Fred says giving a sideways glance at George-who was choking on his food and patting his chest furiously- "That you even got into trouble," George says once he recovered from his coughing fit, then in complete and perfect unison, they said "and that you got into the forest just like we did in our first year!"

I feel heat and look in my spoon to see a blush forming. I nod and quickly bite into my egg salad sandwich before rushing off to the common room before they would notice the redness.

"You're back already? That was bloody fast." Ron mutters as he looks up from the same game of chess. "And you two are still playing the same game? I would have thought Harry would've lost by now.." I say smirking as Harry's head whips up all red and he gives me the best(Or technically worst)death glare the world has ever seen.

"Know it all."

"Jerk." I say and stick my tongue out in a playful/ fake hatred manner before flopping down on the couch next to them. Ron let's out a pant and starts to air his shirt. "Is it me, or is it hot in here?"

"It's you." I say teasing.

"Ha ha. Okay but really, it's super hot today."

"You're right... If I were home, I would just hop onto a float in my pool in the back yard, but sense I am _not_ home, I have no clue as to what I should do to cool down... I was thinking of asking the head girl if I could borrow the prefect's bathroom, fill it up with cold water, and then substitute that for a wading and or swimmin pool," Harry and Ron look up at me almost drooling at the thought of the make-shift wading pool,"but I then quickly realized that would be an abuse of her power, so decided against it." I finish and the two boys' faces drop.

"Why do you always have to be like that?" Ron grumbles and harry bows his head once in agreement.

"Because I actually care about those things unlike some people... Anyways, I am going to study for the tests this upcoming week.." I say getting into a sitting position and then hopping out of the comfort of the couch.

"Again?! You've been studying all month!" They say and I roll my eyes. "That's because these tests are so important you guys! These tests will determine if we can go onto the year! Don't you understand how important this is?!" I say and they both stare back with blank looks before shrugging and turning back to their game.

My eye brow twitches and I force a smile onto my face as I walk away stiff-legged and very ticked off.

The next morning the tests began and we all to sit in one especially large classroom where we did our written paper exams... we were all given special new quills which were bewitched with an Anticheating spell... I finished first, and was told to sit there patiently whilst waiting for the rest of my house to finish as well.

I wince as Ron nervously kicks his leg and accidentally hits my ankle. "sorry." he whispers not looking up from his test. Harry however was sitting right next to me and looked up when he heard me wince. He looks at me and I can't read his face.. "What?" I whisper as I lean down pretending to pick up my quill so no one would suspect I was talking. "Nothing. it's just my scar is hurting, that's all." "Harry maybe you should-" I start but he cuts me off again, "I said it's nothing." he snaps and I sigh, but let it go.

I peek at his test as I come back up and say from the corner of my mouth, "It's C, not A." I whisper and he smiles a gratefully at his test, but doesn't look at me. If he did it would look suspicious. instead he slowly slides left hand under the table and we bump our fists together. It's his way of saying the sorry for snapping and thank you... Without actually saying it.

Once everyone was finished it was well past two p.m. We had ten minuets to use the restroom or to stretch out legs, but we still had two more written exams to get through today. we had a twenty minuet break after the second test for us to all have a snack before continuing on.

As the first day of testing finally came to an end, almost everyone was exhausted at the Great Hall as we ate dinner, and I was honestly a bit tired myself... But that was nothing compared to how Ronald and Harry looked-They both had dark circles under their eyes and were both nodding off in their soups.

I shake my head and turn to converse with Neville before we had to go to our houses and have some spare time before curfew and we have to go to sleep-

That night I finally had a normal dream, absolutely Harry-less and completely logical. It was about tests and what types of spells we would use-oh and there was some Slytherin arse-kicking too, but that's irrelevant.

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I wake up early this morning and shower, I see my ankle is worse again, but put it out of my thoughts, as I let the water hit my head as I lean back on the cold wall behind me and think on things.

What will I do when I leave Hogwarts? I don't have friends-that's a lie, I have three, the nice man at the library, Mrs. Willow next door, and finally my nine year old cousin, Faith- out in the Muggle- my world, so will it be just as it always been? Will I be all alone in my room reading? All alone in my pool struggling to stay on the lounger so that I don fall and drown? Or will Harry and Ron, or Lavender and Neville come and visit me?... I realize I am wasting water, good clean water that people in third-world countries could be using, and quickly rinse my head then wash my face and hop out.

I quickly dry off and slip into my Hogwarts uniform. I look at my self in the big mirror and sigh. I wish I could be wearing my comfy jeans and a tee, but instead I am wearing a skirt just above the knee, a large sweater-god this is almost torture in this weather- a tie, and some weird cape-thing... I sit on the edge of a tub and slip on my knee-highs and shoes. I then pat down my hair and brush it. I ponder for a moment as to what I should try to do with it, but give up after three failed attempts at a plait..

I brush my teeth as I stare at my reflection, zoning out thinking about when I will become pretty-Prettier- and when I will hit puberty and when I will need to shave, and oh god should I already my shaving? Am I like a woolly mammoth? Or like a forest? Do you think that's why the boy's don't look at me?

Sometime I the near future I should start to shave... "Hey, H'mione, you okaaaaaaaaaayyyyy?" Padma and lavender walk both yawing and rubbing the sleep from their eyes.

I give a small smile and nod, then after spitting and wiping my mouth I say "Yeah, was just deep in thought, sorry.." and they nod walking off chatting sleepily.

I give a small sigh before walking out and down to the common room.

"Hey Neville, how are you? Sorry we haven't been able to talk lately..." I say as he walks down the stairs and we leave together.

"It's okay, I've learned to expect it.. I mean who can compare to Harry Potter? I certainly can't.." he says and I look at him shocked, "You think I hang out with Harry and Ron because of his name? That's not why at all! He's a really great guy and he makes me feel good about myself and he's brave and he likes to play quidditch and he is so nice, and did I meantion he was a great guy? yeah-"

Neville looks at me from the corner of his eye but stops once I catch it. "What?"

"Its' just you would think you guys were snogging by the way you talk about him.."

I instantly blush and look away coughing. "That's bonkers Neville, we would never-he wouldn't want- I-uh- we're just friends- Uh um- I mean I dpm't like him like that and he doesn't like me like that and uh he...Cooties?" Neville shakes his head before practically dragging a wincing and wobbling me to the Great Hall and sitting down.

But what I didn't know was that Harry had been trying to catch up with us and has heard the whole conversation...

This could be bad, or maybe it could be a blessing in disguise- You never know.

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The day went by so fast I could hardly believe it. We completed two more tests, only these were different because we actually cast spells instead of using quills.

I changed into some comfy clothes such as sweats I rolled up because it was hot and a tank-top. I slipped on some flat slippers that look like cats because the common room's floor was covered in something I really didn't (and still don't want to) know was. but all I do know is, is that George was taken away by Filch and Professor McGonagall was going to get someone to clean it up.

Fred and I were playing the card game war-wizard war where the cards really do fight each other-while George is stuck cleaning the classrooms while in detention. Harry kept looking at me from the corner of his eye, and I caught his glance once and held it until he sighed and looked away. Also he won't even talk to me and I have no clue as to what I did. Ron is seemingly as clueless as I am and keeps asking us what happened.

I sigh and turn back to the game I was playing with Fred before I beat him and I excuse myself muttering an excuse.

I walk aimlessly down the corridors, but don't stray to far, because I don't want to be stuck wondering the halls past curfew. I stop and lean out an open widow and stare up into the starry night sky.

"You could get caught you know," A voice says behind me and I jump. "Sorry, did I startle you? I was just going to the sick bay because my scar hurts, and I think you should too... I mean by the looks of your ankle." Harry says leaning out the window next to mine. I glance down at my purple ankle... I sigh and look away and back out the window.

"Aw, come on 'Mione, don't be like that." He says giving me another side glance.

"You've been avoiding me, you won't talk to me, all I get from you is those stupid side glances and that's it!" I say now turning to face him head on.

"Please, Hermione don't do this... Not now-"

"No, you don't get to ask for anything from me! You always act like an abused pet and it always comes down to it being my fault! What did I do to you? What did I do to deserve this?"

I say chocking up, "All I did was take the blame for the troll and ever sense then, I feel as if I am being used by you two, seen as nothing more than a walking talking endless supply of answers to your tests and assignments...I was more than happy with Neville and Fred. I never asked to be freinds with the famous Harry Potter! I never asked to have everyone look at me and think I am the one using people! I never-"

tears are falling freely now as everything I have been bottling up inside pours out. Harry is staring at me mouth open wide.

"Hermione, Ron and I don't think of you like that- I don't think of you like that." he says and I look up from my feet and into his eyes.

they are shining with something I've never seen before. He takes me by the shoulders and looks me dead in the eyes, and says earnestly, "Hermione there's something I need to tell you-Something I've wanted to tell you for a while now... I think I Li-ook out!" He whispers and he pulls me to the side behind a pillar as something big and slimy comes flying right where we had just been. It was George coming up smiling, "I'm all done with detention! Walk back to the common room together?" he offers me and I smile and take this as a good chance to get away.

We walk back making small talk leaving a frowning Harry behind...

Fred, Ron, Goerge and I all played War before curfew finally came and we all split up. I rushed upstairs so I wouldn't get stuck with Harry again..

I changed into a light nightgown and came downstairs to say goodnight to Ron and Harry like we usually do, but I forgot to do so before changing.

Yawning we exchange few words and just as I was about to get up from the couch we were all sitting on,

Harry suddenly jumped to his feet.

"Where're you going?" said Ron sleepily.

"I've just thought of something," said Harry. He had turned white. "We've got to go and see Hagrid, now."

"Why?" I say hurrying to catch up while pulling my robe over so I was a bit more decent.

Harry rushed us out the common room door and under the inadvisability cloak he got back. I was stuck in the middle between Harry and Ron.

 _This'll teach me to wear a nightgown in a school full of boys with indecent thoughts..._

I think as I try to desperatly keep my distance from Ron who had something poking in his pajama bottoms that looked suspeciously liek something from an indecent movie uncle Al used to watch on his laptop when he came to visit. I shudder and Ron looks down and back up blushing. "I-it's not what it looks like, it's my wand, see?" He says and pulls the lump out of his pant's to reveal it really was his wand..

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"Don't you think it's a bit odd," said Harry, completely ignoring what Ron and I were rambling about, and scrambling up the grassy slope, "that what Hagrid wants more than anything else is a dragon, and a stranger turns up who just happens to have an egg in his pocket? How many people wander around with dragon eggs if it's against wizard law? Lucky they found Hagrid, don't you think? Why didn't I see it before?"

"What are you talking about?" said Ron, but Harry, sprinting across the grounds toward the forest practically dragging us behind him(So that we would stay hidden under the cloak), didn't answer.

Hagrid was sitting in an armchair outside his house; his trousers and sleeves were rolled up, and he was shelling peas into a large bowl.  
He jumped when we suddenly appeared next to him, but brushed it off and continued shelling.  
"Hullo," he said, smiling. "Finished yer exams? Of course you did, it's past curfew... Well all things aside, got time fer a drink?"

"Yes, please," said Ron, but Harry cut him off.

"No, we're in a hurry. Hagrid, I've got to ask you something. You know that night you won Norbert? What did the stranger you were playing cards with look like?"

"Dunno," said Hagrid casually, "he wouldn' take his cloak off."

He saw the three of us look stunned and raised his eyebrows.

"It's not that unusual, yeh get a lot o' funny folk in the Hog's Head - that's the pub down in the village. Mighta bin a dragon dealer, mightn' he? I never saw his face, he kept his hood up."

Harry sank down next to the bowl of peas. and I crouched down next to him making sure to keep my knickers hidden, "What did you talk to him about, Hagrid? Did you mention Hogwarts at all?"

"Mighta come up," said Hagrid, frowning as he tried to remember. "Yeah... he asked what I did, an' I told him I was gamekeeper here... He asked a bit about the sorta creatures I took after... so I told him... an' I said what I'd always really wanted was a dragon... an' then... I can' remember too well, 'cause he kept buyin' me drinks... Let's see... yeah, then he said he had the dragon egg an' we could play cards fer it if I wanted... but he had ter be sure I could handle it, he didn' want it ter go ter any old home... So I told him, after Fluffy, a dragon would be easy..."

"And did he - did he seem interested in Fluffy?" Harry asked and Ron nodded sleepily.

"Well - yeah - how many three-headed dogs d'yeh meet, even around Hogwarts? So I told him, Fluffy's a piece o' cake if yeh know how to calm him down, jus' play him a bit o' music an' he'll go straight off ter sleep-"

Hagrid suddenly looked horrified.

"I shouldn'ta told yeh that!" he blurted out. "Forget I said it! Hey - where're yeh goin'?" he asked as Harry covered us all in the cloak again and we rushed off.

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Harry, Ron, and I didn't speak to each other at all until we came to a halt in the entrance hall, which seemed very cold and gloomy after the grounds. we pulled the cloak off and hid behind some statues.

"We've got to go to Dumbledore," Harry whispered. "Hagrid told that stranger how to get past Fluffy, and it was either Snape or Voldemort under that cloak - it must've been easy, once he'd got Hagrid drunk. I just hope Dumbledore believes us. Firenze might back us up if Bane doesn't stop him. Where's Dumbledore's office?"

we all looked around, as if hoping to see a sign pointing us in the right direction, but nothing did. We had never been told where Dumbledore lived, nor did they know anyone who had been sent to see him.

"We'll just have to - " Harry began, but a voice suddenly rang across the hall.

"What are you three doing here? It's past curfew!"

It was Professor McGonagall, carrying a large pile of books.

"We want to see Professor Dumbledore," I, rather bravely, if I say so myself, although I have no clue as to what Harry and Ron had thought.

"See Professor Dumbledore?" Professor McGonagall repeated, as though this was a very fishy thing to want to do. "Why?"

Harry swallowed, Ron yawned and blushed, and I stood looking at the professor, my confidence fading away very fast-now what?

"It's sort of secret," he said, but I wished at once he hadn't, because Professor McGonagall's nostrils flared.

"Professor Dumbledore left ten minutes ago," she said coldly. "He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and flew off for London at once."

"He's gone ?" said Harry frantically and I nodded earnestly. "Now?"

"Professor Dumbledore is a very great wizard, Potter, he has many demands on his time-"

"But this is important."

"Something you have to say is more important than the Ministry of Magic, Potter?"

"Look," I say willing all the courage and confidence I had to come back, "Professor - it's about the Sorcerer's Stone-"

Whatever Professor McGonagall had expected, it wasn't that. The books she was carrying tumbled out of her arms, but she didn't pick them up.

"How do you know - ?" she spluttered.

"Professor, I think - I know - that Sn - that someone's going to try and steal the Stone. I've got to talk to Professor Dumbledore."

She eyed him with a mixture of shock and suspicion.

"Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow," she said finally. "I don't know how you found out about the Stone, but rest assured, no one can possibly steal it, it's too well protected."

"But Professor-" Harry began, but was cut off

"Potter, I know what I'm talking about," she said shortly. She bent down and gathered up the fallen books. "I suggest you all go back inside and go to bed before you get caught and sent to detention.."

But we didn't. I mean who does she think we are?

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and finished, So again sorry for going all MIA, but what can I say?

Hermione: You could say you were just being lazy and watching anime instead of doing something productive... Like oh I don't know studying or writing for the lovely wonderful people who want to see me get with Harry...

Me: *Nervous laugh* Oookay and down you go, *Pushed hermione's head down* Well that's all for this chappie, see you soon lovelies!

Hermione: *Muffled noises*

Me: Shhh let the people go now. Let them go be free..

Hermione: ...

Me: There there, good girl. *Smiles creepily as I pet her head.*

Hermione: *struggles free* She's always doing thiiiiis!

Me: *Covers mouth with hand and smiles nervously* Hahahaha Classic Hermione, always cracking jokes...

Hermione: =o=

Okkkkaaaayyy bye again XD I am going to go consider my life now...

~Luna


	13. Back from the dead lmao

Yo yo yo I've been dead.. yo yo yo this story isn't dead.. Yo yo yo I'm saying yo too much...

aight. Bye haters-

* * *

"Guys, it's got to be tonight," I whisper as we make our way back to our house to get supplies. " Professor Snape's going through the trapdoor tonight. He's found out everything he needs, and now he's got Dumbledore out of the way. He sent that note, I bet the Ministry of Magic will get a real shock when Dumbledore turns up."

"But what can we -" Ron gasped. Harry and I wheeled round. Snape was standing there, clutching Ron's robes. "Good evening," he said smoothly. I stare at him, taking in all his glorious (gag) grease, and his terrible odor that can only be achieved by not showering for a few days and living in a dungeon. "You shouldn't be out and about at this time of night," he said, with an odd, twisted smile.

"We were -" Harry began, snd I got the impression he hadn't any idea what he was going to say. "You want to be more careful," said Snape. "Hanging around at.. Oh my! 12:32." He says eyeing a nonexistant watch on his wrist.

"People will think you're up to something. And Gryffindor really can't afford to lose any more points, can it?" Harry flushed. I felt sorry. But ron was even redder.

"Professor McGonagall already told us. We were heading back when you called us aside... So in reality you'd be the one in trouble. What with violently grabbing one, and then keeping them past curfew, and away from their houses..." I say, and we turn to leave, but Snape calles usback.

"Be warned, Potter, you too Granger - any more nighttime wanderings and I will personally make sure you are both expelled. Good day to you." He trows Ron rather harshly towards us, and made to take off in the direction of the staff room, but I stopped him, "Shall we add threatening innocent children to the mix, Professor?"

His cheek turn a shade of pink. He opens his mouth, then closes it, deciding better to leave than to add more to the list of prossible paycheck deductions.

I smirk and we continue on our way. "Right, here's what we've got to do," harry whispered urgently. "One of us has got to keep an eye on Snape - wait outside the staff room and follow him if he leaves it. Hermione, you'd better do that." "Why me?" "It's obvious," said Ron. "You can pretend to be waiting for Professor Flitwick, you know." He put on a high voice, "'Oh Professor Flitwick, I'm so worried, I think I got question fourteen b wrong...'" "Oh, shut up," I said while I hit him, but I agreed to go and watch out for Snape anyways.

"At least Hermione's on Snape's tail," I heard just as the portrait of the Fat Lady swung open and I made to come in. "I'm sorry, Harry!" I cry, "Snape came out and asked me what I was doing, so I said I was waiting for Flitwick, and Snape went to get him, and I've only just got away, I don't know where Snape went."

"Well, that's it then, isn't it?" Harry said and Ron and I shared a look before looking at harry again. He was pale and his eyes were glittering. "I'm going out of here tonight and I'm going to try and get to the Stone first."

"You're mad!" said Ron.

"You can't!" I cry.. After thought, I tend to cry quite a bit here, don't I? Oh well. "After what McGonagall and Snape have said? You'll be expelled! I'll be expelled! Harry, please, don't do this to me.. I mean you?" I finished feeling silly about my petty concerns, and still confused as to how I felt about harry.

"SO WHAT!" Harry shouted and I flinched, having never seen him like this. "Don't you understand? If Snape gets hold of the Stone, Voldemort's coming back! Haven't you heard what it was like when he was trying to take over? There won't be any Hogwarts to get expelled from! He'll flatten it, or turn it into a school for the Dark Arts! Losing points doesn't matter anymore, can't you see? D'you think he'll leave you and your families alone if Gryffindor wins the house cup? If I get caught before I can get to the Stone, well, I'll have to go back to the Dursleys and wait for Voldemort to find me there, it's only dying a bit later than I would have, because I'm never going over to the Dark Side! I'm going through that trapdoor tonight and nothing you two say is going to stop me! Voldemort killed my parents, remember?"

He glares at us and his stare burns my skin. "You're right Harry," I say in a small voice. "I'll use the invisibility cloak," said Harry. "It's just lucky I got it back."

"But wasn't the last time.. A bit awkward." said Ron and I flush. "No, why?" "Oh, come off it, you didn't see how tramatized 'Mione was?"

"Were you that upset, hermione?" "Um.. O-Of course not," I say, trying to convince them and myself. " Besides, how do you think you'd get to the Stone without us? I'd better go and took through my books, there might be something useful..."

"But if we get caught, Ron will be expelled, too." "Not if I can help it," I said grimly. "Flitwick told me in secret that I got a hundred and twelve percent on his exam. They're not throwing me out after that... And I'm sure Ron passed so..."

Harry grabbed flute Hagrid had given him for Christmas. He pocketed it to use on Fluffy - he had said he didn't feel much like singing. I don't blame him.

* * *

"We'd better put the cloak on here, and make sure it covers all three of us - if Filch spots one of our feet wandering along on its own -"

"What are you doing?" said a voice from the corner of the room. Neville appeared from behind an armchair, clutching Trevor the toad, who looked as though he'd been making another bid for freedom.

"Nothing, Neville, nothing," said Harry, hurriedly putting the cloak behind his back. Neville stared at their guilty faces. "You're going out again," he said. "No, no, no," I say, trying to reach out to my old friend "No, we're not. Why don't you go to bed, Neville?" Harry looked at the grandfather clock by the door. They couldn't afford to waste any more time, Snape might even now be playing Fluffy to sleep. "You can't go out," said Neville, "you'll be caught again. Gryffindor will be in even more trouble."

"You don't understand," said Harry, "this is important." But Neville was clearly steeling himself to do something desperate. "I won't let you do it," he said, hurrying to stand in front of the portrait hole. "I'll - I'll fight you!" "Neville," I start, but Ron exploded, he was grumpy. irritated, and sleep-deprived. "get away from that hole and don't be an idiot -"

"Don't you call me an idiot!" said Neville, matching Ron's tone, "I don't think you should be breaking any more rules! And you were the one who told me to stand up to people!"

"Yes, but not to us," said Ron in exasperation. "Neville, you don't know what you're doing." He took a step forward and Neville dropped Trevor the toad, who leapt out of sight. "Go on then, try and hit me!" said Neville, raising his fists. "I'm ready!" Harry turned to me desperate,"Do something," he said his voice barely above a whisper. I step forward. "Neville," I say crushed for having to do such a thing to my first friend, "I'm really, really sorry about this." I shakily raise my wand. "Petrificus Totalus!" I cried, pointing it at Neville.

Neville's arms snapped to his sides. His legs sprang together. His whole body rigid, he swayed where he stood and then fell flat on his face, stiff as a board. I run and to turn him over.

Neville's jaws were jammed together so he couldn't speak. Only his eyes were moving, looking at them in horror. "What've you done to him?" Harry whispered. "It's the full Body-Bind," I say miserable. "Oh, Neville, I'm so sorry."

"We had to, Neville, no time to explain," said Harry. "You'll understand later, Neville," said Ron as we stepped over him and pulled on the invisibility cloak. But leaving Neville lying motionless on the floor didn't feel like a very good omen.

* * *

In my nervous state, every statue's shadow looked like Filch, every distant breath of wind sounded like Peeves swooping down on them. At the foot of the first set of stairs, they spotted Mrs. Norris skulking near the top. "Oh, let's kick her, just this once," Ron whispered in my ear, but I shook my head. Even though that had sounded rather tempting at the time.

As they climbed carefully around her, Mrs. Norris turned her lamplike eyes on them, but didn't do anything.

They didn't meet anyone else until they reached the staircase up to the third floor. Peeves was bobbing halfway up, loosening the carpet so that people would trip. "Who's there?" he said suddenly as they climbed toward him. He narrowed his wicked black eyes. "Know you're there, even if I can't see you. Are you ghoulie or ghostie or wee student beastie?" He rose up in the air and floated there, squinting at them. "Should call Filch, I should, if something's a-creeping around unseen." Harry had a sudden idea, that was pure brilliance at the time. "Peeves," he said, in a hoarse whisper, "the Bloody Baron has his own reasons for being invisible." Peeves almost fell out of the air in shock. He caught himself in time and hovered about a foot off the stairs. "So sorry, your bloodiness, Mr. Baron, Sir," he said greasily. "My mistake, my mistake - I didn't see you - of course I didn't, you're invisible - forgive old Peevsie his little joke, sir."

"I have business here, Peeves," croaked Harry. "Stay away from this place tonight." "I will, sir, I most certainly will," said Peeves, rising up in the air again. "Hope your business goes well, Baron, I'll not bother you." And he scooted off "Brilliant, Harry!" whispered Ron. I nodded, smiling. A few seconds later, we were there, outside the third-floor corridor - and the door was already ajar. "Well, there you are," Harry said quietly, "Snape's already got past Fluffy."

Seeing the open door somehow seemed to impress upon us of what was ahead us. Underneath the cloak, Harry turned to Ron and I "If you want to go back, I won't blame you," he said. "You can take the cloak, I won't need it now."

"Don't be stupid," said Ron. "We're coming," I said, staring intently at Harry. He merely nodded and pushed the door open.

As the door creaked, low, rumbling growls met my ears. All three of the dog's noses sniffed madly in their direction, even though it couldn't see them. "What's that at its feet?" I whisper to the boys.

"Looks like a harp," said Ron. "Snape must have left it there." "It must wake up the moment you stop playing," said Harry.

"Well, here goes..." He put Hagrid's flute to his lips and blew. It wasn't really a tune, but from the first note the beast's eyes began to droop. Harry hardly drew breath. Slowly, the dog's growls ceased - it tottered on its paws and fell to its knees, then it slumped to the ground, fast asleep. "Keep playing," Ron warned Harry as we slipped out of the cloak and crept toward the trapdoor. I could feel the dog's hot, smelly breath as we quietly approached the giant heads. "I think we'll be able to pull the door open," said Ron, peering over the dog's back.

"Want to go first, Ron?" Harry asked nervously. "Of course not!"

I roll my eyes, and made a quick and rash decision. "Ill go first."

* * *

...

...

I'm alive.

Like wow.

Still breathing lmao.

okay bye guys!

~Luna


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